Care of Children in Ukraine

[Reggie]

I don't remember who I was arguing with about this.

But here you go:  A little girl about 8, pushing a newborn/toddler in freezing weather, in the middle of the street (where the cars drive), with no parents around.  They just went right on down the street; walking in the middle of the street.

The father seems to go to work; and the mother puts the kids on the street to play when her boyfriend (or who I suspect is her boyfriend) comes to visit.

They have a fenced in garden BTW; so don't think the middle of street is the only place for a toddler to play.

I see this all the time here.   I don't remember who was throwing a fit about this 'not being true,' but there you go: my eyes and cell phone camera work.

[Danno99]

I don't remember who I was arguing with about this.

But here you go:  A little girl about 8, pushing a newborn/toddler in freezing weather, in the middle of the street (where the cars drive), with no parents around.  They just went right on down the street; walking in the middle of the street.

The father seems to go to work; and the mother puts the kids on the street to play when her boyfriend (or who I suspect is her boyfriend) comes to visit.

They have a fenced in garden BTW; so don't think the middle of street is the only place for a toddler to play.

I see this all the time here.   I don't remember who was throwing a fit about this 'not being true,' but there you go: my eyes and cell phone camera work.

And you could find even more crazy examples of this in the USA. This week I saw a story where a 9 month old baby was found in the middle of the street, 2 blocks from his home. Baby-Momma shows up on scene and claims he was in a baby seat in her car and some how managed to get out (kid you not).

[Reggie]

I don't remember who I was arguing with about this.

But here you go:  A little girl about 8, pushing a newborn/toddler in freezing weather, in the middle of the street (where the cars drive), with no parents around.  They just went right on down the street; walking in the middle of the street.

The father seems to go to work; and the mother puts the kids on the street to play when her boyfriend (or who I suspect is her boyfriend) comes to visit.

They have a fenced in garden BTW; so don't think the middle of street is the only place for a toddler to play.

I see this all the time here.   I don't remember who was throwing a fit about this 'not being true,' but there you go: my eyes and cell phone camera work.

And you could find even more crazy examples of this in the USA. This week I saw a story where a 9 month old baby was found in the middle of the street, 2 blocks from his home. Baby-Momma shows up on scene and claims he was in a baby seat in her car and some how managed to get out (kid you not).

Oh no.  I agree that it's a problem elsewhere too.

But in the U.S. if 2 kids were wandering down the road, without parents, in the freezing snow, and one them 1 year old in a stroller; the cops would be called; the neighbors would say something; social services would get involved and check out the parents; a judge might look at it.  You know ... there would be some scrutiny.

A little baby being dragged across the middle of a road, in the snow, without any adults around ... oh yeah, the cops are coming in the U.S., someone is going to report it; the neighbors might get involved.   

Here you know ... nobody cares.  Even if the cops or social services came ... they wouldn't care, and in fact don't care, because I tend to see this type of thing somewhat regularly. 

[Danno99]

I don't remember who I was arguing with about this.

But here you go:  A little girl about 8, pushing a newborn/toddler in freezing weather, in the middle of the street (where the cars drive), with no parents around.  They just went right on down the street; walking in the middle of the street.

The father seems to go to work; and the mother puts the kids on the street to play when her boyfriend (or who I suspect is her boyfriend) comes to visit.

They have a fenced in garden BTW; so don't think the middle of street is the only place for a toddler to play.

I see this all the time here.   I don't remember who was throwing a fit about this 'not being true,' but there you go: my eyes and cell phone camera work.

And you could find even more crazy examples of this in the USA. This week I saw a story where a 9 month old baby was found in the middle of the street, 2 blocks from his home. Baby-Momma shows up on scene and claims he was in a baby seat in her car and some how managed to get out (kid you not).

Oh no.  I agree that it's a problem elsewhere too.

But in the U.S. if 2 kids were wandering down the road, without parents, in the freezing snow, and one them 1 year old in a stroller; the cops would be called; the neighbors would say something; social services would get involved and check out the parents; a judge might look at it.  You know ... there would be some scrutiny.

A little baby being dragged across the middle of a road, in the snow, without any adults around ... oh yeah, the cops are coming in the U.S., someone is going to report it; the neighbors might get involved.   

Here you know ... nobody cares.  Even if the cops or social services came ... they wouldn't care, and in fact don't care, because I tend to see this type of thing somewhat regularly.

In that regard you may well have a point.

[sosednik]

Two experiences, of perhaps more practical interest to expatriates who have or care for children in Ukraine:

1.  Our little girl is having a far better experience in a US school -- where nobody knows her language! -- than she did in two Ukrainian schools.  The contrast could hardly be more dramatic.  Some notions of education in Ukraine resemble those in the US several generations ago, and the teachers we encountered had a most unhelpful/passive attitude (not surprising, for folks who are paid around a dollar per hour).

Her American teachers, aides, principal, school nurse, social worker and so on are attentive, loving and supportive.

2.  Her last dental exam in Ukraine revealed no problems.  This was by a supposedly modern dentist in Kyiv.  Three months later, after she had an episode of really extreme mouth pain, we rushed her to a dentist who found cavities all over her mouth, and who was so worried that she told us "you must get her to a pediatric dentist:  if it's not possible tonight, then tomorrow morning" (mouth infections can spread very rapidly, and are sometimes fatal).

One of the teeth which had to be removed was more than half gone -- rotted away from the roots.

Either (a) all of that happened in 90 days ... or (b) the Ukrainian dentist was yet another bullsh!t fraud.
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We are very grateful that she now benefits from Western-grade facilities for children.

I have many fond memories from my times in Ukraine.  And there's a lot of Ukrainian garbage I won't miss in the least.

[Danno99]

Two experiences, of perhaps more practical interest to expatriates who have or care for children in Ukraine:

1.  Our little girl is having a far better experience in a US school -- where nobody knows her language! -- than she did in two Ukrainian schools.  The contrast could hardly be more dramatic.  Some notions of education in Ukraine resemble those in the US several generations ago, and the teachers we encountered had a most unhelpful/passive attitude (not surprising, for folks who are paid around a dollar per hour).

Her American teachers, aides, principal, school nurse, social worker and so on are attentive, loving and supportive.

2.  Her last dental exam in Ukraine revealed no problems.  This was by a supposedly modern dentist in Kyiv.  Three months later, after she had an episode of really extreme mouth pain, we rushed her to a dentist who found cavities all over her mouth, and who was so worried that she told us "you must get her to a pediatric dentist:  if it's not possible tonight, then tomorrow morning" (mouth infections can spread very rapidly, and are sometimes fatal).

One of the teeth which had to be removed was more than half gone -- rotted away from the roots.

Either (a) all of that happened in 90 days ... or (b) the Ukrainian dentist was yet another bullsh!t fraud.
_________________________________

We are very grateful that she now benefits from Western-grade facilities for children.

I have many fond memories from my times in Ukraine.  And there's a lot of Ukrainian garbage I won't miss in the least.

You failed to mention the benefits of the transgender and pro gay enlightenment that is becoming the US norm. Ukraine has a lot of catching up to do.