David C. Pollock (1939–2004)

As a TCK myself, so much of the book made complete and utter sense, and gave me the framework in which to place my experiences. Wow, I only wish someone had explained all this to me when I was growing up. And now I hope to refer to the concepts and suggestions in this book while raising my own children, who are perhaps more 'Cross Culture Kids' than TCKs at the moment.

Particularly useful are the recommendations on how to help TCKs gain closure when moving to a new country, and using that to help move on.… (altro)

I just finished reading the updated version of Ruth E. Van Reken & David C. Pollock’s, “Third Culture Kids: Growing Up Among Worlds.” Well worth the purchase price to own this new version.

Like the original, it reviews the basic research on TCKs — people who spent a significant part of their developmental years living outside their parents’ culture (e.g. children of missionaries, the military, international businessmen, and diplomats). It describes the essential characteristics of their globally nomadic lifestyle (high mobility, deep exposure to multiple cultures, identification with sponsoring agencies, etc.), and addresses the emotional, cognitive, and social benefits and challenges posed by that upbringing.

In addition, this updated version examines the long-term impacts of growing up as a TCK, now that more and more research on Adult TCKs is finally being completed. It looks at the changing nature of the TCK experience, in a world where technology now allows children to maintain “permanent addresses” of their own, on email, Facebook, and other social-networking sites. Finally, the book begins to ask questions about the similarities and differences in experience and developmental impacts of other types of cross-cultural upbringings, such as immigrant families, international adoptees, and the like.

Eye-opening, and reassuring. I heartily recommend it.… (altro)

Years ago, when I was moving between two countries, I was given a stack of cassette tapes of talks given by David C. Pollock]], so the contents of the book were more a reminder than new information. I will say that several of the points he makes were enormously helpful a decade ago and are still just as useful to anyone moving to another country. His emphasis in this book is on how to help children make the adjustments needed to thrive in a new culture, how to return to their original country later and how having been raised in more than one culture can be both a great enhancement and a challenge, but the contents will also be valuable to any adult in that situation.

This summer, I packed up a household of children, pets and things and followed my SO out to Germany. It's an adventure and a great opportunity for the kids to see Europe, now that they're old enough to remember it. But there are challenges involved in moving them away from their familiar places and people. Reading Third Culture Kids has been useful in helping me to prepare the kids for the experience.

Some of the things that stood out was the reminder that no matter how difficult the adjustment, there will be a time, a few months down the road, when everyday activities are routine. I remind myself of that daily. He also emphasized the importance of leaving the previous place with good-byes said, parties attended and any conflicts resolved before you leave. Knowing that people care about you and will miss you does make it a lot easier to jump into a new environment with both feet, secure in those old relationships and knowing that, in time, new relationships will form.… (altro)