The hospitality industry in Turkey is one of the best in the world. And this is due not only to the service but also to the people. Smiling, confident, polite Turks are obviously not born with these qualities: they are undoubtedly shaped by their upbringing. The inquisitive “Mandry” decided to check this out and got acquainted with the parenting system adopted in Turkey. Here are its main principles.
1. Intuition Will Tell
Many Ukrainian women constantly study literature on parenting during pregnancy and after childbirth. How to interact, to carry or not to carry, what to feed, what to protect from? Turkish mothers do not worry about this, relying on intuition. It is intuitively — without thinking about the benefits or long-term consequences — that Turkish women organize the feeding and upbringing of children.
2. You Are the Center of the Universe
Children in Turkey are treated like little deities, especially when it comes to preschoolers. Maximum freedom and minimum punishment — this is the principle on which the parenting system in Turkey is based. They are carried in arms, showered with toys, constantly hugged and caressed — and even a stranger adult can pat them on the head. It is not surprising that with such treatment, adult Turks have fine self-esteem.
The entertainment sector is also oriented toward children. For example, in restaurants, a special children’s menu is not uncommon, and finding a high chair is no problem.
Children in Turkey are treated like little deities, especially when it comes to preschoolers.
3. Come With Me
Grandmothers in Turkey do not take such an active part in raising grandchildren as in Ukraine, and nanny services among ordinary Turks are not popular. So they have no choice but to take their children everywhere with them. The most common situation is when one Turkish woman comes with all her children to another’s house. At the same time, her main goal is to talk to her friend, not to entertain the children. So the next principle directly follows from this one.
4. Your Own Best Friend
Parents in Turkey do not worry too much about having to keep the child occupied, let alone overload them with developmental games or books. The child will find something to do on their own. And they do find it. Usually, these are noisy games on playgrounds or watching cartoons together at home with other children (not with mom, mom is busy — she is talking).
5. Books and Kindergartens — A Waste of Money
Turkish women rarely return to work after having children. Families often have 3–4 kids, so mothers dedicate their time to caring for them. Kindergartens are considered an expensive pleasure. Moreover, there is no special education system there; the “entertain yourself” and “let’s just watch some cartoons” principles come first. The question arises: why pay money for this if you can get the same thing at home for free?
As for books, Turks are not the most reading nation. Therefore, there is no strong effort in Turkey to instill a love of reading in children.
6. Dad Is the Best Friend
Despite being totally busy at work, Turkish dads manage to find time for their children — and engage with them with pleasure, not considering it a burdensome duty. They put children to bed, walk with them, and soothe them if they cry. Even in the event of a divorce, Turkish fathers try to give their children proper attention. Moreover, the court can easily leave children after a divorce with the father, not the mother.
What else to read on this topic:
- Turkey Plans to Abandon Fast Food in Hotels
- Do Not Do This in Turkey: Actions That Can Get Tourists Fined or Deported
- Is It Worth Going to Turkey in Summer or Better in Autumn
7. Respect Your Elders
The attitude towards the older generation in Turkey can be described as respectful, and sometimes even reverent. Other nations have not yet unraveled this secret, but some whisper: the whole point is that Turks never grow up. At any age, they remain little children, for whom the main person is — who? That’s right, mom. This is particularly evident in the relationship between sons and mothers; the attitude of mothers towards daughters is cooler.
