Abstract:
Chinese--Canada; Immigrant children--Canada--Social conditions; Children of immigrants--Education--Canada
Subjects:
Chinese--Canada; Immigrant children--Canada--Social conditions; Children of immigrants--Education--Canada
Subjects Facet:
Chinese--Canada; Immigrant children--Canada--Social conditions; Children of immigrants--Education--Canada
Creator:
[No author identified]
Date:
1993-07-23
Date searchable:
1993-07-23
Date searchable:
1993-07-23
Genre:
articles
Genre Facet:
articles
Format:
image/tiff
Language:
Chinese
Language Facet:
Chinese
Relation:
Article from: World Journal（世界日報）
Rights:
Contact UVic Archives for access to the original resource and for reproduction requests (fee for reproductions).This material is made available on this site for research and private study only.
Title-Alternative:
“Tai Kong Ren” Leaving Children Home Alone: Right or Wrong
Description-Abstract:
Keywords: The United Chinese Community Enrichment Services Society
Location(s):
British Columbia--Vancouver
Location(s) Facet:
British Columbia--Vancouver
Transcript:
「太空人」獨留子女在家是對是錯
中西文化不同 看法南轅北轍
【溫哥華訊】華人移民家庭讓孩子單獨留在加拿大家中，這個問題應該怎麽看？中僑互助會行政總監陶黃彥斌的回答是：中西方文化對於家長的責任看法方面，有很大的不同。
陶黃彥斌說，那些把孩子留在加拿大、自己回亞洲去工作的家長們，覺得他們這樣安排，對家庭來說是最佳的選擇。她說，中國人父母是很實在的，他們通過為子女煲湯、購衣服來表示對他們的關心。她不認為這些父母追求物質，他們認為為人父母，要盡量讓孩子生活好。「他們不太愛擁抱， 也不怎麽說我愛你。」
陶黃彥斌在周三的談話中說，這些父母把孩子留在加拿大單獨生活，也是不得已而為之。他們剛來加拿大時，往往想不到這裡的工作會很難找，做生意更不容易。所以來了不久，就決定回去找工作，把孩子留下。
不過，陶黃彥斌指出，被單獨留下的孩子一般年歲都比較大，而且父母親都會指定監護人。這樣做，他們認為是盡了職盡了力。
而在學校方面，反應稍有不同。
列治文市的學校方面，近來對於獨居的移民子女數目頗感「震驚」。而在溫哥華市，學校官員對此反應並不強烈，認為幾年以來情況就是如此。不過，由於企業投資移民中較富裕的人士增多，這種「太空人」父母子女獨居的情況有所加劇。特別是在溫哥華西區，情況尤比東區嚴重。
溫哥華學校局董事德尼克(Ken Denike)認為,雖然目前尚無官方统計數字，但他曾經聽說有十二歲的孩子還要照顧自己弟妹這樣的事。「問題是，消息來源只是道聽塗說，並不可靠。從我了解的情況來看，這些孩子挺能幹，有些功課很好。要說讓人擔心的，只是出了事沒有人可以幫得上忙。」 溫市西區的楓林小學(Maple Grove Elementary School)兩年前曾經有過一個調査，證實該校百分之十的學生中，有家長在國外居住。該校校長卜勞克特(Mark Proctor ) 還說，根據這項調查來看，平時家長不在家的，更高達百分之三十至六十。「有事情時，我們大多可以聯繫到某個監護人，不過此人不是家長，也沒有多少辦法。偶然也有家長要求我們，通過電話或傳真與他們聯絡。」
「太空人」父母的子女狀況雖然令人關注,子女們也感到壓力加大，但是卜勞克特說，沒有證據證明，這些孩子因此而學習成績差，或者惹上麻煩。「把這個問題說成是大問題，那就過份了。加拿大移民的歷史悠久，子女獨居是家庭遷徙時會發生的事。」
English translation: “Tai Kong Ren” Leaving Children Home Alone: Right or Wrong
Opinions are Polar Opposites due to the Different Cultural Backgrounding
World Journal Vancouver Report
Some Chinese immigrant families let their children stay home alone in Canada. What do you think about this? Lilian To, the administrative director of the United Chinese Community Enrichment Services Society (S.U.C.C.E.S.S.), responded: Chinese and Western cultures have very different views on the responsibilities of parents.
Lilian To said that parents who left their children in Canada and returned to work in Asia felt that this was the best choice for their families. She said that Chinese parents are very realistic. They express their love for their children by doing duties such as making soup and buying clothes for their children. She does not think that these parents are materialists. But Chinese parents consider that one responsibility of being a parent is to make the children live a good life. "[These parents] are not used to hugging or saying I love you."
Lilian To said on Wednesday that these parents leaving their children alone in Canada usually had no choice. When they first came to Canada, they usually were not prepared for the extremely difficult local job market. And it is even harder to do business. So soon after, they decided to go back to their original workplace and leave their children.
Lilian To pointed out that the children who were left home alone are generally older. Usually the parents would appoint guardians. In doing so, they believe that they have done their best.
However, the reactions of the schools have been quite different.
The schools in Richmond have recently been "shocked" by the number of immigrant children living at home alone. In Vancouver, school officials are not that surprised, and think that this has been the case for several years. However, with the increase of the number of wealthier individuals who immigrate for investment reasons, the amount of "tai kong ren" parents [People travelling frequently back and forth between Canada and their places of origin] has grown. The phenomenon is stronger in the Western district of Vancouver than in the East.
Ken Denike, director of the Vancouver School Board, thinks that although there are no official statistics yet, he has heard about a case of a 12-year-old child taking care of his brother and sister. "The problem is that the message has been heard through word of mouth and is not verified. From the situation I understand, these children are very capable and some of them perform well academically. What people are really worried about is that no one may be available to help them in emergency situations.” The Maple Grove Elementary School in the Western district of Vancouver had a survey two years ago that confirmed that 10% of the school' s students having parents living abroad. The school' s principal, Mark Proctor, said that according to the survey the absence rate of parents from the home may be 30 to 60 percent. "When something has happened, most of the time we can reach a guardian. But this person is not a parent and there is not much they can do. Occasionally, some parents ask us to contact them by phone or fax."
Although people are concerned about the situation of children of the "tai kong ren" parents, the children do feel increasing pressure. Mr. Proctor said there is no evidence that these children have poor academic performance or other trouble. "To say that this is a big problem is an over exaggeration. In the long history of Canadian immigration, children living at home alone was normal when families migrated."
