WHAT IS A TCK?

 

“TCK” stands for “Third Culture Kid,” a term coined by Ruth Hill Useem which means “…a person who has spent a significant part of his or her developmental years outside the parent’s culture.”

 

What does this mean? Because TCKs often feel neither completely from their passport culture nor from their host culture, they form a third culture with each other.

 

TCKs have parents who work in Military, government, missions, business and other occupations.

 

Due to globalization and the ease of travel these days, the number of TCKs is increasing all the time.

 

Classic TCK pose

 

 

Kendra wearing a "Little House on the Prairie" dress with a Moroccan belly-dancing belt showing how TCKs use at least two cultures to form a third!

 

 

TCK Topics

 

This site includes nearly thirty topics related to raising TCKs. For parents just starting out on this adventure, the first set of topics will be a good place to begin. For experienced parents of TCKs, the last set of topics will be of particular interest to you.

 

This website is largely a personal collection of information, opinions, quotes, and stories to help you navigate through the process of raising children abroad. I am writing as an American who grew up mostly in Afghanistan and Pakistan and is now raising two girls in Morocco.

 

In order to add other opinions to this webste, I collected a few surveys from Adult TCKs and Parents of TCKs in 2008. You will find their helpful quotes throughout the topics and in the "Survey" section.

 

 

Your Input

 

My opinions are limited to my personal experience and the experiences of those I know. If you are a TCK, Adult TCK, or a Parent of TCKs and would like to add your own valuable opinions and advice to this website, please email me using the contact information under "misc" - Thank you!

 

A special thanks to Steve Enbrock and Reda Bouman for many hours of help on this project!