Well, well. This gets better. Notes: Like, an expat's gonna bring granny and grandad over to look after the little one, with no yazik, and no wish to live in Russia - but they must, as otherwise mum & dad will be labeled bad parents on the expat list. Yup.
Don't like strangers? Sure, can't trust anyone these days, right? - only one's family. Very 21st century, very enlightened; if only more believed that the world would have a lot less problems. Finally - Rich people? Eh? I know single-mother secretaries with a nanny. Ah - single mothers - next target? :) ----- Original Message ---- > From: Andrey <[email protected]> > To: The Moscow Expat List <[email protected]> > Sent: Monday, 24 August, 2009 20:32:42 > Subject: Re: Expat List fun with stereotypes > > I could've calibrated my words slightly differently! However, most “normal” > people don’t hire household help. One of the parents usually stays at home. > If > both parents work, children are taken care of by members of their extended > families. Once children are old enough they go to Detskyi Sad. So, most > people > don’t need to bring strangers home and don’t allow outsiders to influence > their > children. It seems only the rich, lazy, and failed parents do that like some > expats here. > > As far as making a career out of wiping expat kids’ butts, that’s what > President > Putin probably did to become Russia’s president! Very exciting, prestigious > and > promising careers! All of those women driving around Moscow in luxury SUVs > and > sports cars they also probably make their living by wiping kids’ butts. > > It’s understandable when parents want to go out and extended family is not > available (rare cases) they ask their neighbor or an acquaintance to “WATCH” > their kids to make sure they are safe while both parents are briefly away. > That > job best suits a college girl who wants to make a few extra bucks or an old > lady > bored to death at home. It’s not a career! > > Later when kids grow up there may be a need to supplement their study load > with > a private tutor in a specific subject be it a second language or music, but > that’s not what nannies and household help are all about. > > In other words some rich people admit their failure as parents by hiring > household help thus creating a role model for their own kids who in turn will > fail as parents themselves! > > > --- On Sun, 8/23/09, Michele A. Berdy wrote: > > > From: Michele A. Berdy > > Subject: Expat List fun with stereotypes > > To: "expat" > > Date: Sunday, August 23, 2009, 1:37 PM > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > I usually don’t get involved in the expat > > list > > spitting matches, but this one floored me. An expat wrote: > > “After 6 years we > > have parted from our Nanny even though she was a part of > > the family, but > > unfortunately our son was outgrowing her ability to keep up > > with him and his > > needs. So here we are looking for a new Nanny... somebody > > who comes well > > recommended... English knowledge a plus, but not at all a > > must. A good education > > makes sense as she has to be able to challenge and > > stimulate our son also from > > an intellectual point of view.” > > > > > > Then Andrey makes up that “some expats > > assume > > that well-educated and stimulating Russian women must be > > ecstatic about the > > possibilities.” (I’ve read the above several > > times and I don’t see anything in > > there about ecstasy.) Then he makes up that it’s a > > “dead-end and humiliating > > job”, and he makes up that it’s a job that > > “pays hardly enough to survive in > > > > Moscow .” (How > > do you know how much they pay, and why are you sure that > > it’s a dead-end job, or > > that it would be humiliating, Andrey?) And then, having > > made all this up and > > created a horrible straw man, Andrey damns foreigners (all > > foreigners? some > > foreigners?): “What gets me is how foreigners have no > > qualms about trying to > > exploit other people.” > > > > What gets me is how some people make up stories > > to hang their stereotypes on. Andrey, here's some > > friendly observation and > > advice: In every national and ethnic group there are a few > > rotten apples. But > > it's a good rule of thumb to make sure the apple is > > rotten before you start > > making accusations. It's also generally a good idea to > > keep the accusations to > > one person and not generalize to entire nations. > > > > > > Sorry; end of Sunday sermon. > > > > > > > > -----Inline Attachment Follows----- > > > > _______________________________________________ > > Expat mailing list > > [email protected] > > http://www.lists.ru/mailman/listinfo/expat > > http://www.expat.ru/forum/ > > > > > _______________________________________________ > Expat mailing list > [email protected] > http://www.lists.ru/mailman/listinfo/expat > http://www.expat.ru/forum/ _______________________________________________ Expat mailing list [email protected] http://www.lists.ru/mailman/listinfo/expat http://www.expat.ru/forum/
