Raising kids the local way in Indonesia

Indonesia is a very safe place for kids.

Local schools use Indonesian for almost all subjects and languages (Mostly English) are not part of the curriculum until grade 7. Even then, far too many teachers have very poor English skills so are unable to teach it effectively. B1 and B2 is about the best you can hope for amongst English teachers.

For Muslims, Arabic is easily available in Muslim schools.

In general, I would suggest an international school for most expat kids, but be sure to teach them Indonesian.

As far as safety is concerned, the roads are dangerous at best, so be a little careful how far younger kids wander. However, in general, kids are safe to go to the local shops and so on without fear of harm.

From a moral point of view, Indonesia is a good country for kids. They aren't sexualised as in so many western schools and they are protected from perverted ideologies. That sort of stuff would get a teacher the sack here.

Local habits are pretty great. Kids 'saleem' their elders. That's like a handshake but they hold the adult's hand to their forehead or mouth. "Polite" isn't a thing in schools - it's part of their lives from being babies. That brings respect.

On the downside, critical thinking is pretty rare, and that shows up in many aspects of life, but it's especially noticable on the roads.

For those of us with daughters, Indonesia has advantages. Unlike western countries where virgins over the age of 18 are rare, girls here generally wait until marriage. That attitude protects them and encourages respect from the men they meet. Men hope for, but don't expect, sex. That means far fewer STDs and hardly any unmarried mothers.

Just in case people think that girls are repressed, one of Indonesia's national heroes is Kartini - A champion of women's education and civil rights.  No man would go against that and expect to be accepted in Indonesian society. Women have exactly the same rights as men, but they generally get a lot more respect as a bonus.

It was Kartini day yesterday so there were lots of celebrations in schools and offices all over the country.

Overall, I would say Indonesia is an excellent country to raise kids in.