After reading the foreword, I was truly expecting to find some groundbreaking information in this book. I was genuinely excited to read it! However, as other reviewers have noted, there’s really nothing new in here. I definitely found certain bits of information useful and enjoyed the lists of useful resources (books and websites) the author included at the end. However, after reading a book like Third Culture Kids (which I highly recommend) or even taking some college level psychology classes, most of the information in this book just seems like basic knowledge. Unless you’re totally clueless when it comes to emotions or how to begin talking to your children about them, I would not recommend this book. Also, this may seem minor, but I was extremely distracted by the huge inconsistency of spacing between words and sentences throughout the paperback book I received. Some words were so close that there barely appeared to be a space between them, and others had such large gaps between words that it was hard to tell they were even a part of the same sentence. There are various errors that, in my opinion, appear to be result of quick, careless printing.
I was really disappointed with this book. For an adult with even a small amount of knowledge regarding child development, this is a painfully obvious book. So much ink and paper is wasted to explain the benefits of reading to children, and how emotions are important and should be expressed and accepted. Really???? Also, many pages are spent defining emotions from happy to anticipation. I'm pretty sure the average parent doesn't need to buy a book to know how to explain fear or anger. The "stories" are painfully predictable and without a plot so that only the 3-5 age range might endure them, and yet the vocabulary and lack of pictures makes them inappropriate for even 3-5 year olds. I don't know a single child who would enjoy these "stories" or working through this "workbook." I bought it hoping it would help our family with our upcoming move overseas, but very little is said about the needs specific to such a life change. Please save your money and buy Third Culture Kids instead, it's amazing and MUCH more helpful.
After reading this book, I must agree that it is a "must read" for families traveling around the world. It addresses so many issues that are a huge benefit not only to the children but for the adults as well. There are the unseen emotional issues that you just don't see or noticed and those are the points that are covered in this book.
It is easy to connect with this book as it is written in a style that is very comfortable to read. It is as if you were having a conversation at the table over a cup of coffee. Not only is this book a benefit for families, I can see it as a useful guide for anyone working with children overseas such as teachers. This would help in helping children cope with being aboard and having to deal with a new, strange and different culture.
I highly recommend this book to any family considering moving aboard with children or for anyone dealing with children who have already moved aboard. This book is well written, very concise and very useful that can go a long way in reducing stress with the move. It is indeed a very thorough and comprehensive guide!
5つ星のうち1.0Misleading title. Very disappointing material
2018年8月18日にアメリカ合衆国でレビュー済み
Amazonで購入
I’m going to be honest. I wish I would not have spent the money to buy this book. I bought this book for the tag line “And the Expat Child” only to find out that other than a couple passing mentions of the word in the Conclusion (chapter 9), there is virtually no mention of how this book relates to expat/ Third Culture Kids. There was an occasional quote/paragraph and even those seemed out of context. This book might have value for other reasons, but not for parents specifically trying to help TCK’s.
I grew up as a child who both moved a lot and spent a considerable amount of time in foreign countries due to my father's work. While I was told that I was lucky, and I believe that I was, I didn't realize the particular toll that this lifestyle took on me until later in life. Now, as someone who gets to interact with children who are expats, I have found author Julia Simens' book to incredibly useful on several fronts. First, it has given me a lot of insight into the things that I went through as a child and didn't know how to express. Secondly, this wonderful book is also helping me to relate so much better to the expat children that I am blessed to be associated with now. What a wonderful read that has so much to offer. Highly recommended.
