does any of you living abroad see it aswell?

Question

Is it just me or do you think south africans are brought up with more respect than in other countrys. I live in london and almost everyday i'm shocked at the kids here, the way they talk to their parents without any respect, the jobs vadelising the busses, throwing fireworks at people. to be honest i'm scared at the kids over here. Young chavs getting pregnant at 12 and 13. I know this happens in almost every country but, if I or any of my friends talked to elder people like they do i woudn't be able to sit like for 2 days. Is it just me or does any of you living abroad see it aswell?

Answer 1

I am English born, but grew up in South Africa too......and when I got back here 7 years ago, I was shocked then, as I am now at the behaviour of some young groups. I dont know if South Africans are the best behaved bunch in the world, but we certainly have more manners & respect than the kids here....I could'nt agree more.

Answer 2

I'm English and when I was young it was very different, I'm only 28!!!! I don't believe it is only South African children that are brought up well but do agree that there is a problem with the majority of children here.

I have spent alot of time abroad (Morocco and Spain mostly) and I often say that the children there behave how I was expected to behave as a child, not like the children here now.

Yes it does happen everywhere but it is getting worse here.
I have alot of family abroad and will hopefully be moving myself next year. When/if I have children I want to bring them up abroad not here, sad but true.

Answer 3

Hi, I'm English and was brought up there but I now live in South Africa and intend bringing my kids up here. I understand what you're saying about kids in England but I think it's a bit of a generalised idea that you have. Most children are respectful but the disrespectful ones are more visible because of their behaviour - you probably wouldn't notice a group of kids behaving well.
That being said, the country has gradually changed for the worse and I think it's to do with parents not teaching their children how to behave properly - whether through lack of time, care, energy or something else, I don't know. Children in England also don't have a mass of choices in terms of outlets for their energy - the weather and lack of sports and leisure facilities count against them. They can too easily get bored and act up for attention and something to do - sad as that is, it's true.
I'm very happy to be bringing my children up in SA but I don't agree with the 'norm' here of whacking them as soon as they step out of line - in my opinion that just creates fear and the notion that violence is the answer to get what you want.
I do think that children should be taught to think for themselves and not just agree with/believe everything they're told but this needs to be channelled appropriately - there are things that are just right or wrong, polite or disrespectful.
Bringing up children is not easy no matter where you live, you just have to hope you do a good job and that they are intelligent and confident enough to behave the way you've taught them and the way they feel is right.

Answer 4

The discipline in Afrikaans schools is in my opinion better than in English schools. The discipline in my own school is good and the classes are dead-silent when the teacher speaks - especially from Grade 10 onwards. The top 20 Grade 12 performers on the academic front in the Western Cape each year are 80% Afrikaans-speaking. It seems to be that Afrikaners are harder workers... It's a wild guess, I know.

Answer 5

Ha, I see the same thing where I am...maybe because they come from a bunch of convicts! But seriously, we South Africans have MORE respect than these kids where I am! They're not my type to hang out with! Heck, here the girls are PAID to have babies! Nice morals! But like someone already said, afrikaans kids are more well-behaved than english kids! Well, I'm behaved too!=)

Answer 6

Speaking as a born and bred English girl with many South African and Zimbabwean friends who now Iive here I think it's swings and rondabouts. Sure there are bad kids here, who grow up with little respect for anyone or anything but their are plenty of good kids too, the bad just tends to stick in your mind more readily. I know a young South African guy and he is an arrogant, selfish, thoughtless, racist, misogynistic boor with few manners, a complete lack of respect for anyone whom he perceives to be beneath him, and a tendency to shamelessly use anyone who he thinks he can bully into doing things for him. His first instinct in any situation he can't control is to react with violent confrontation. Yet I know not all South Africans are like that.............don't tar all with the same brush, there are good and bad everywhere. I think you'll find it's a sign of the times rather than a cultural difference, when what kids do seems like a bad thing it probably means you are getting old............!!!

Answer 7

I agree.

I'm 15, Afrikaans, now living in Australia.

My parents definitely raised/ are raising me well, when I look at the other kids here in Australia I see alot of disrespect and rudeness, girls getting pregnant at young ages and so on, I was always taught that I have to work for what I get, here they just expect it for nothing (and yes, the government gives them that). Personally, I think their motive for not bringing up their kids properly (the parents here) is the fact that they don't have an outlook on life, all they see is Australia, narrow-minded, they haven't seen anything, they just take all this for granted, and teach their children whatever.

I guess you can say my parents are overprotective, although I guess it doesn't matter, at least I'm not in the streets doing what these other kids are doing (and that gives me a future). Although I'm a bit shielded, they don't really let me get out much, do much, because they fear I'll get "involved" and "influenced". I still get punished, with a belt :\

I think English South Africans are arrogant, I personally dislike them, I have never met any English South African that I can say I like, especially the English SA immigrants to Australia here.

Answer 8

hi im a south african living in Greece and married to a greek. I have 2 sons one was born in sa and the othere here in greece. the kids here are very spoilt and cheeky and rude. as my husband lived in sa for a number of years he knows all about childrens behaviour there. so we are bringing up our boys to repesct elders and the usual stuff we were taught by our parents. and all the greeks complement us on our well behavioured and polite. greek-south african boys.
yes we south africans are the best.

Answer 9

Yeah! In alot of other countries the people are disrespectful and not so friendly and the kids are brought up so bad! No respect for their elders at all! South Africa has a reputation for being kind and friendly:)

Answer 10

You may be right if you compare the kids in London with the kids in Paarl or Brakpan wherever you come from.
This is also true if you compare kids from Cape Town Or Joeys to the kids in the country towns here.
I live in Fareham in Hampshire and never see what you are talking about but then I never see foreigners either except the odd idiot wearing a Bokkie rugby shirt to the supermarket.
My grandson goes to school in Cape Town and was attacked by another kid with a knife in the playground. Nothing was done to the kid but my daughter was told to take my grandson home for the day for his own safety. Needless to say he never went back and had to change schools.By the way I've never understood why immigrants all go to London, it is a right Sh1thole.You might as well be in JHB.