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Been There, Done That: Experienced Parents Give Advice On Bringing Up Children in Hanoi
Kosmo Tay Ho shares top tips from foreign parents on successful family life in Hanoi…
Been There, Done ...
Bringing up children can be a scary feat in itself, let alone doing so in a foreign country. Away from home, there are the everyday challenges of raising kids on top of working out the local way of life of families.
Moving to Hanoi from the West can be a particularly big culture shock. However, with a little preparation and advice, our experts agree that raising a family in such a vibrant, exciting city has great benefits too.
Kosmo Tay Ho chats to a few experienced foreign parents who share their best advice on bringing up a family in Hanoi.
Reece Guihot has lived in Hanoi for almost two years and moved here for his wife’s job at the Australian Embassy. Reece has also lived in Beijing, China, and Canberra, Australia. He has one daughter, aged 17.
Kosmo Tay Ho: What are some of the advantages of raising children in Hanoi?
Reece: The exposure to a different level of social development, the development of risk-taking and problem-solving skills, and the awareness of a culture that is vastly different to our own. Raising children in Hanoi is not without its challenges, but the benefits and experience far outweighs these.
Kosmo Tay Ho: In your opinion, how well is Hanoi equipped to cater for families with children?
Reece: Hanoi is not great at providing public open spaces close to the city for informal sports, although with a bit of local knowledge you can find great places to cycle and hike less than an hour from the city.
Some of the international schools allow their students and families to use their facilities on the weekend and after school hours, but outside of this, public pools and sports fields are limited. We have not needed to access any medical services beyond those provided by a clinic, but understand that access to some services is only available in larger hospitals or out of country.
Kosmo Tay Ho: What is your biggest worry as a parent in Hanoi?
Reece: Living in Hanoi comes with a residual level of personal risk that is far higher in Australia, mostly from traffic. Even with precautions,
there is only so much one can do to mitigate the risk [of being hit by a motor vehicle driver] without resorting to using an armoured tank as a private vehicle.
Other challenges include the big difference in weather and pollution.
Reece’s Top Parenting Tip: Do your research before you come. There is plenty of information available online and many forums where you can ask questions and gauge if Hanoi is right for you. You don’t want to leave it until you get here to discover that simply crossing the street in Hanoi is the first-world adrenaline equivalent of sky-diving, and that to fill a five-item shopping list often means going to five different shops.
My family’s secret to enjoying Hanoi has been to take greater risks than we would have back in Australia. My wife and I would never have thought about getting our motorbike licences if we did not come to Vietnam, let alone riding a motorbike in Southeast Asian traffic with our daughter on the back — and we have loved every minute of it!
Embrace the differences and you will find yourself and your family doing things that you would never have seen yourself doing in your home country.
Stacy McCandless is an American who has lived in Vietnam twice: first in Nha Trang, now in Hanoi, with a stint in Adelaide, Australia in-between. Her husband is the General Manager of a multi-national hotel and Stacy manages a pre-school. Stacy has a two-year-old girl and a five-year-old boy.
Kosmo Tay Ho: What are some of the benefits of raising children in Hanoi?
Stacy: We can hire help (for example, a housekeeper, nanny or gardener) at affordable rates. Most importantly, Hanoi has a dynamic and diverse international community. My child has 14 children in his class, and they are all from different countries. Having your child at an international school is awesome!
Kosmo Tay Ho: Comparing Hanoi to other countries you have lived in, what are the main challenges you’ve had to face being a parent here?
Stacy: With dengue fever, we worry about mosquitoes. And with the roads not really having sidewalks, it can be dangerous for children on bikes or moms with strollers.
Kosmo Tay Ho: In your opinion, how well is Hanoi equipped to cater for families with children?
Stacy: The medical clinics are good and it is easy to get an appointment.
Stacey’s Top Parenting Tip: Get out and meet people right away! The more people you know, the faster you will learn about where to shop, where to find playgroups, etc. There are Facebook and Google groups dedicated to families in Hanoi. It is a tight, well-connected community.
And do not expect your life in Hanoi to resemble your life back home, but be open to what this place has to offer.
Shoshanna Cohen Tidey has lived in Hanoi for almost three years. An American, she moved here from Melbourne, Australia with her husband, who is a diplomat at the Australian Embassy. She has one daughter, aged two.
Kosmo Tay Ho: What are some of the benefits or advantages of raising children in Hanoi?
Shoshanna: There is a very strong expat community here in Hanoi.
The children get to experience the culture, food, and traditions of another country that is dissimilar to their own. And they get to travel to other Southeast Asian countries easily.
Kosmo Tay Ho: How well is Hanoi equipped to cater for families with children?
Shoshanna: In general, it is fine — especially if your child does not have any ongoing medical issues, like allergies or asthma. The international schools provide another community for children to make new friends, play sports, and travel — field trips, camps, and the like.
Kosmo Tay Ho: What’s the biggest worry as a parent in Hanoi?
Shoshanna: There are not a lot of wide, open spaces, playgrounds, or parks for children to play here. It is also too hot for many months of the year to do anything other than be in a pool. And then there is the pollution…
Shoshanna’s Top Parenting Tip: Be creative with your children’s play activities as you do not have the resources you would in your home country. Also, you can find anything here if you look hard enough!
Rhonda Adams is an American who has lived in Hanoi for just over 12 months, moving from Dubai, United Arab Emirates with her husband, who is a pilot. Rhonda has two children, a girl aged two and boy aged 19, who is home-schooled.
Kosmo Tay Ho: What are some of the benefits/advantages of raising children in Hanoi?
Rhonda: The Vietnamese are very family-oriented and they make you feel welcome.
Kosmo Tay Ho: What are the main challenges you have had to face being a parent here?
Rhonda: That is easy: transportation. The streets are not pedestrian friendly and the traffic system prevents us driving ourselves.
Kosmo Tay Ho: In your opinion, how well is Hanoi equipped to cater for families with children?
Rhonda: Medical treatment has been hit and miss. We are pleased with our school so far, however, tuition fees are high and after-school activities are somewhat limited due to lack of facilities and transportation challenges.
Rhonda’s Top Parenting Tip: Visit first to make sure that the Hanoi lifestyle fits yours.
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