There we go. Now, I live in a very multicultural neighbourhood; there’s no majority race/culture/background here at all, and more or less every people in the world is represented.
I have noticed, for as long as I’ve lived here, parents who have their kids out at all hours of the night. ALL HOURS - kids of all ages, four, five, six, seven years old, who walk around with their folks at 10-11PM and even later. Not doing anything, just sitting around in the playgrounds, out for a walk, whatever. ON SCHOOL NIGHTS. Yowza! When I was seven years old being up that late would have absolutely wasted me.
Anyway, the parents who have their kids out that late are, absolutely without exception, East Indians. Never Chinese, Vietnamese, Arabic, European, or the multitude of other ethnic groups that make this place up.
Do East Indians have a thing about taking their kids out really late? Is this a tradition or a cultural thing, or unique to Toronto? Does anyone have any firsthand knowledge? Do we have any East Indian Dopers who could comment?
Anecdotal: There are several East Indian families in my apartment complex in Alexandria, Va., and I’ve noticed this as well. They often have their children, some of whom are still infants, out as late as 11:00 p.m. or midnight, just sitting outside with them. I have not noticed this with anyone else of any other ethnicity, so there must be cultural factors at work.
I have a number of East Indian friends in Toronto. Some do let their kids stay up pretty late. Others insist they be abed by nine. Don’t know how it all tallies up.
First, a question, by “East Indian” do you mean from the entire country of India, in Asia, thus differentiating them from Native American “Indians”; or are talking about people from the eastern part of the county of India?
Assuming the former, a WASP college friend married a man from India. Under his leadership, they have been pretty indulgent of their two girls (e.g., the 17 yr. old went to NYC with 2 teen-girl friends, alone). Our friend says hubby says it just the way his family raises kids. So maybe its cultural.
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The wedding was interesting. Traditional (East) Indian cermony with string lights (er, Christmas lights), burning incense, flowers, etc. Afterwards, our friend, despite her reputation for being ditzy, had a Notary perform a civil ceremony, just to make sure.
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I mean the Indian subcontinent. India, Pakistan, Bangladesh. Yes, I realize it’s generally not that easy to tell people’s background at fifty feet, but around here ethnic dress is the norm, (which I think is cool) and while it’s still my flawed observation, it’s a remarkably consistent one.
I know a lot of East Indians here at work but as luck would have it none of them have kids, so I’m in the wrong peer group to find out myself.
Assuming the former, a WASP college friend married a man from India. Under his leadership, they have been pretty indulgent of their two girls (e.g., the 17 yr. old went to NYC with 2 teen-girl friends, alone). Our friend says hubby says it just the way his family raises kids. So maybe its cultural.
[aside]
The wedding was interesting. Traditional (East) Indian cermony with string lights (er, Christmas lights), burning incense, flowers, etc. Afterwards, our friend, despite her reputation for being ditzy, had a Notary perform a civil ceremony, just to make sure.
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