Some Aspects of Vietnamese Culture in Child Rearing Practices
             I decided to focus my last cross-cultural research project on child rearing practices of the Vietnamese people and how they differ from that of my own. Included in my work are noteable differences I have found through my reading, research, discussions, interviews, & surveys. I have conducted my interviews not only through live person-to-person speech, but I have also utilized the internet and entered chatrooms to speak to Vietnamese people as well. I hope that my research is of interest, and can be informative and educational as it surely has been for me.
             During my interview with a co-worker I was told about a proverb and that most Vietnamese parents are aware of: "ÐÔng con h½n nhi«u cüa" (it is far better to have more children than goods). The number of children in a family is unlimited. The child rearing practices of the Vietnamese people differ from area to area (ie. North, Middle and South Vietnam), and amongst people with different educational levels and generation. Therefore, the following information I have presented should be used as a guide and based on the kind of behavior specified.
             Like most Americans, most of Vietnamese women living in the city have their child born in hospital, but in the villages or country towns however, an untrained midwife "Mø V×½n"- rural midwife, or even the mother or mother-in-law or female relatives can assist the women during their labor (Hassan et al., 1985). There were no routine check ups during women's pregnancy in rural areas. Check ups started in the late 1960's in the large cities or country towns since the establishment of hospitals and medical clinics. In cities women would see a doctor particularly when they have problems; women in rural areas rarely visit a doctor. Unlike America with its pregnancy "how-to" classes, exercise classes are unknown in Vietnam. Pregnant wo...