Baby born in the US - Did you/are you teaching them what it is to be British?
Apr 1st 2013, 7:53 pm
#16
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Re: Baby born in the US - Did you/are you teaching them what it is to be British?
Folks, I'm the daughter of a Hungarian immigrant. I have birthright citizenship under Hungarian law, much like children of British citizens have birthright citizenship in the UK. The reason I mention this is because people always wonder why I don't speak Hungarian, don't participate in Hungarian holidays, and so forth.
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For these reasons I urge all immigrant parents to let their kids fully explore their cultural background. There's no need to stress it or force it, but don't stifle it, either.
[...]
For these reasons I urge all immigrant parents to let their kids fully explore their cultural background. There's no need to stress it or force it, but don't stifle it, either.
My wife's father however, grew up to dislike his mother's going on about the iniquities of what was going on in "the old country". As far as he was concerned he was an American first and last (he served in the USMC) and was nothing else. In fact he was a bit peeved when he found out that because his mother was born in Ireland, the Irish government considered him to be an Irish citizen from birth, whether he liked it or not! Sadly he died before I married his daughter, but not before we first got together and he had no problems at all about his daughter being involved with a Brit.
So the upshot is, the kids decide for themselves. Maybe they will embrace their parental culture, or maybe they'll consider it irrelevant and themselves to be only American. It's their decision whichever they chose.
Apr 1st 2013, 9:46 pm
#17
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Re: Baby born in the US - Did you/are you teaching them what it is to be British?
I've two yanks and they are very interested in British things. Both my wife and I are English. The London olympics was very interesting for them, especially the opening ceremony which we explained to them as the events unfolded, they loved it. Also the in-laws sent Olympic tee shirts and the wife put up the union jack bunting. They even wanted the London Olympics game for their Nintendo Wii.
Last edited by Uncle_Bob; Apr 1st 2013 at 9:58 pm.
Apr 2nd 2013, 12:02 am
#18
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 22,105
Re: Baby born in the US - Did you/are you teaching them what it is to be British?
Folks, I'm the daughter of a Hungarian immigrant. I have birthright citizenship under Hungarian law, much like children of British citizens have birthright citizenship in the UK. The reason I mention this is because people always wonder why I don't speak Hungarian, don't participate in Hungarian holidays, and so forth.
My father had been a refugee, fleeing from the Russian Communist occupation in 1956 and sponsored by the World Council of Churches. I don't know whether or not this all factored into his decision to raise his children without reference to our Hungarian heritage. He would often say "We are Americans now" and would refuse to teach us his language or anything about Hungary except a few dishes (that was what he knew how to cook after all, and since my mother wasn't much of a cook, a family must eat, heh). I remember him saying once that he didn't want us kids to be viewed as ignorant country bumpkin immigrants with no desire to make it in American society. My father was so committed to fitting in that even though he was an agnostic, he joined a Presbyterian church and became a respected church elder. I suspect he destroyed his Hungarian birth and citizenship documents shortly before his death, as none of us could find any evidence of them in his papers. He really did all he could to break ties with the country of his birth.
It's not that I can't see his point. He wanted to protect his children from prejudice and enable them to fully enjoy the benefits and participate in the social life of the country he chose. But we always felt impoverished and rootless, as if my father had accidentally taught us that our background was somehow shameful. We don't know how many important elements of his background we are missing; for example, I found out by chance that my father's family had been Jewish (which explained a few things about his relationship with my mother and her family).
For these reasons I urge all immigrant parents to let their kids fully explore their cultural background. There's no need to stress it or force it, but don't stifle it, either.
My father had been a refugee, fleeing from the Russian Communist occupation in 1956 and sponsored by the World Council of Churches. I don't know whether or not this all factored into his decision to raise his children without reference to our Hungarian heritage. He would often say "We are Americans now" and would refuse to teach us his language or anything about Hungary except a few dishes (that was what he knew how to cook after all, and since my mother wasn't much of a cook, a family must eat, heh). I remember him saying once that he didn't want us kids to be viewed as ignorant country bumpkin immigrants with no desire to make it in American society. My father was so committed to fitting in that even though he was an agnostic, he joined a Presbyterian church and became a respected church elder. I suspect he destroyed his Hungarian birth and citizenship documents shortly before his death, as none of us could find any evidence of them in his papers. He really did all he could to break ties with the country of his birth.
It's not that I can't see his point. He wanted to protect his children from prejudice and enable them to fully enjoy the benefits and participate in the social life of the country he chose. But we always felt impoverished and rootless, as if my father had accidentally taught us that our background was somehow shameful. We don't know how many important elements of his background we are missing; for example, I found out by chance that my father's family had been Jewish (which explained a few things about his relationship with my mother and her family).
For these reasons I urge all immigrant parents to let their kids fully explore their cultural background. There's no need to stress it or force it, but don't stifle it, either.
I agree! Our daughter is both British and American, and we always tell her that makes her very unique indeed.
We bring as much British culture into play as we can (it doesn't hurt that it's "cool" to be British! lol) and of course we go back so she can visit her relatives. I think she feels very privileged to have both cultures as her birth right!
Apr 2nd 2013, 3:21 am
#19
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Location: MA, USA
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Re: Baby born in the US - Did you/are you teaching them what it is to be British?
Getting them to watch Brit tele, well the none dubbed versions of things like Thomas the Tank Engine, Bob the Builder etc.
Using a knife and fork properly.
English phrases, though this I can already see leading to trouble
Using a knife and fork properly.
English phrases, though this I can already see leading to trouble
Apr 2nd 2013, 3:39 am
#20
He/him
Joined: Dec 2006
Location: WA
Posts: 18,824
Re: Baby born in the US - Did you/are you teaching them what it is to be British?
Knife and fork (a losing battle, I might take them away from her and tell her to just use her hands as it will be more seemly)
She is aware that she is a Liverpool fan.
She knows what cricket is, and she swings a bat at a ball nearly as badly as I do. I call her in if I am watching something like cricket just so she knows this stuff happens, I might point out that it is day time on screen and night for us.
Language, I teach her language as it comes up including colloquialism.
Guy Fawkes night gets celebrated.
Various bits and pieces like "April Fool is dead and gone and you're the fool for carrying on" She did not like that one as it limits her ability to do pranks. She wants to be American on April first.
Just general stuff, I think it is good for her to understand where I came from and that she can have a stake in it, but really if she rejects it all, so what, I have already come to terms with her saying "Awesome". I think for me the Britishness, is just giving her options and making her more aware that there is a big wide world out there, that those 'other' people are valuable, worthwhile and you do not have to be tied down by your culture.
She is aware that she is a Liverpool fan.
She knows what cricket is, and she swings a bat at a ball nearly as badly as I do. I call her in if I am watching something like cricket just so she knows this stuff happens, I might point out that it is day time on screen and night for us.
Language, I teach her language as it comes up including colloquialism.
Guy Fawkes night gets celebrated.
Various bits and pieces like "April Fool is dead and gone and you're the fool for carrying on" She did not like that one as it limits her ability to do pranks. She wants to be American on April first.
Just general stuff, I think it is good for her to understand where I came from and that she can have a stake in it, but really if she rejects it all, so what, I have already come to terms with her saying "Awesome". I think for me the Britishness, is just giving her options and making her more aware that there is a big wide world out there, that those 'other' people are valuable, worthwhile and you do not have to be tied down by your culture.
Apr 2nd 2013, 9:19 am
#21
Rootbeeraholic
Joined: Aug 2009
Location: Houston, Tx
Posts: 2,280
Re: Baby born in the US - Did you/are you teaching them what it is to be British?
Yes! I've managed to get hold of Thomas the Tank Engine with Ringo Starr narrating for me, ahem I mean my boy!
Apr 2nd 2013, 2:02 pm
#22
I have a comma problem
Joined: Feb 2009
Location: Fox Lake, IL (from Carrickfergus NI)
Posts: 49,598
Re: Baby born in the US - Did you/are you teaching them what it is to be British?
I think they pick up a degree of Britishness by osmosis. My daughter is developing some weird hybrid accent based on my wife's American and my Belfast accents. She's definitely way more rhotic than standard American. Almost like someone from Devon trying to do an American accent
Given that she's half British, we'll tell her about where that half comes from and everything but she'll be spending all day with Americans in school so she'll develop her own identity as a combination of the two cultures. Sort of like how my American born, half Mexican stepson has done, since he became interested in all things British after he got to know me.
We'll have a couple of nicely well rounded, cosmopolitan children, when all's said and done. Especially if we ever spend some time living in the UK as well.
Given that she's half British, we'll tell her about where that half comes from and everything but she'll be spending all day with Americans in school so she'll develop her own identity as a combination of the two cultures. Sort of like how my American born, half Mexican stepson has done, since he became interested in all things British after he got to know me.
We'll have a couple of nicely well rounded, cosmopolitan children, when all's said and done. Especially if we ever spend some time living in the UK as well.
Apr 3rd 2013, 12:52 am
#23
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Re: Baby born in the US - Did you/are you teaching them what it is to be British?
Children born in the US are automatically US citizens, is that correct? Do you all register them at the UK Embassy so that they retain the right to become UK/EU citizens when they're older?
Apr 3rd 2013, 1:05 am
#24
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Re: Baby born in the US - Did you/are you teaching them what it is to be British?
As for UK citizenship, depends on the parents. If the kid is a UK citizen, then they don't need to be registered to retain UK citizenship, though IMO it's worth doing.
Apr 3rd 2013, 1:13 am
#25
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Re: Baby born in the US - Did you/are you teaching them what it is to be British?
I suppose I was thinking ahead, how best to keep their options open later in life. I know people in the Islands (Caribbean) who were born in the US and now want to get clear of liability to pay US Income Tax by renouncing their US citizenship. In those circumstances it's always best to have a second citizenship to fall back on.
Apr 3rd 2013, 1:59 am
#26
Lost in BE Cyberspace
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Re: Baby born in the US - Did you/are you teaching them what it is to be British?
I suppose I was thinking ahead, how best to keep their options open later in life. I know people in the Islands (Caribbean) who were born in the US and now want to get clear of liability to pay US Income Tax by renouncing their US citizenship. In those circumstances it's always best to have a second citizenship to fall back on.
For a normal person living in a tax haven, renouncing US citizenship will probably cost them more than they save since normally the US doesn't have a tax treaty with those countries and all income from the US (including social security) will be taxed at 30% since form w-8ben can't be used to reduce or eliminate withholding taxes.
Last edited by Michael; Apr 3rd 2013 at 2:17 am.
Apr 3rd 2013, 3:04 pm
#28
Mions' a point.
Joined: Jun 2012
Location: Cleveland Ohio
Posts: 1,340
Re: Baby born in the US - Did you/are you teaching them what it is to be British?
Not to veer too far OT, but with 1 English parent, can I claim UK Citizenship?
Btw I too had a very distinct English accent until I started school, I remember being teased for it
Pete
Btw I too had a very distinct English accent until I started school, I remember being teased for it
Pete
Apr 3rd 2013, 3:05 pm
#29
Often not so civil...
Thread Starter
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Re: Baby born in the US - Did you/are you teaching them what it is to be British?
Depends on where you were born, when you were born, how long the UKC parent spent in the UK and various other factors.
Apr 3rd 2013, 4:35 pm
#30
Rootbeeraholic
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Re: Baby born in the US - Did you/are you teaching them what it is to be British?
See: http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/br.../bornoverseas/
