Yeah wait they are living below you and complain your kids are running around at 7am…Multiple different snotty neighbours.
Main issue is there just aren’t that many kids in Taiwan anymore. Half of the society are going around with dogs in strollers.
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Can’t emphasise that enough. Kids personalities are hard wired, there is very little as a parent that you can do to change that. You will notice this as soon as you have multiple kids. Just help cultivate their interests and talents. Don’t blame yourself if the kids this way or that way. Also don’t pay yourself on the back if your kid is a virtuous musician , you just helped them along a but that’s all.
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True, my oldest kid picked it up quite easily, whereas the younger is learning a bit slower. I don’t push it hard, and keep it for short durations. It will just take a bit more time than the first.
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Noise complaints are a common issue for parents here in my experience. It’s a waterfall of complaints sometimes when you mention it when chatting to other parents at the park, school. If I find out they live in a four level crappy old gongyu like me, it is one of my conversation goto topics with other parents.
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All the complaints were from elevator buildings. Taiwan skews middle aged and old in many districts. I know , we have moved around a lot.
I’ve only ever lived in these four level boxes. Your floor is their ceiling. When we moved in, within two hours we had the fellow downstairs at our door, kids’ toys dragging along the ground were disturbing him. It has improved with us enforcing rules, and some padded mats about the place, but it is still a massive pain, kids should be kids.
How is between floor sound insulation in modern apartments here?
We only rented or bought first floor for that reason and the parking privilege.
Hit or miss. On the first floor I never hear the neighbors at all, even when they are shouting at each other playing poker drunk right above us.
On the second floor, I can hear the third floor easily. Ceilings are an extra meter or so higher on the first floor though.
Just the same. It depends on how well it was built. Wooden floors transmit sound more. The benefit of living in a dalou is there is a management committee and security guard to help deal with situations .
First floor is often dark, you get mold, more creepy crawlies and mosquitoes, and more street noise.
Unless you buy first floor on a small alley with a large east facing enclosed patio and run dehumidifiers. 
I never open windows, so no mosquitoes or bug problems. I do see the occasional centipede or cockroach on the patio. I put thick rubber mats over the drains, but a few sneak in.
First of all, congratulations @Lettuceman !
Do you already know if you are expecting a Lettucegirl or a Lettuceboy?
Most have already addressed the language and bilingual school topics, so I’ll mention other subjects:
- Make sure to have a throughout conversation with the wife about how to raise kids.
- Any traditions in either culture that the other should be aware? Most are innocent, but a few can be bothersome if the other party is unaware
- How will the grandparents get involved? How to define the boundaries?
- How will the daily routine go? Who will be responsible for what of the baby’s daily care? Can the parent shower together with the kid?
There are other points, but these are what I could remember for now.
Oh, and one hint:
- Try to decide the baby’s English name before the big day, so you can get it printed in the birth certification from the hospital. It’s not a “must do”, but it will make your life easier when sorting their documents later on.
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Man this is all some great advice - I’ll catch up to this soon! And thanks for all the grats’
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My daughter turned one in October. There are a billion things to say, most of which you’ll learn in time. My advice is, don’t get a stroller if you don’t have an elevator, or if the area you live in has pavements without good wheelchair access.
I agree with meishijia about the stroller. I got one and live on the 4th floor with no elevator. I started off carrying it up and down but after a month gave up and just left it by the door with a cover on it. Neighbors are nice enough not to touch it. Strollers are nice to have though. You have the storage underneath and the kid can lay there and sleep or see the world, rather than your chest for the first 6 months. Downside is waiting for the elevators. You start to realize how many people are lazy and don’t want to use an escalator or stairs.
I also just remembered about some other stuff that could be useful to you.
If you’re buying baby stuff make sure compare prices with it on Amazon. While you can buy most things in Taiwan for about the same price or cheaper, there are some things that are cheaper on Amazon. The best deal I got was buying an Ergobaby carrier. In Taiwan they are usually around 7k NTD. I got it on Amazon for 3k NTD and free shipping.
Also go to some of the baby expos near Taipei 101. You can try out all the baby stuff and usually find a few good deals. You also get lots of free samples.
If you are going to formula feed, there are some events that the companies host to get the pregnant moms to come sign up. I went to one hosted by Quaker. They had a quartet play and during the breaks would have a doctor come in and tell you why their formula is good. They have good deals if you buy it that day, and also they have drawings for free stuff.
Shop around at different baby stores in your area for diapers and formula. Some smaller stores will have slightly cheaper diapers. Formula is usually buy 6 or 12 and you get 1 free plus some type of toy.
Lastly cloth diapers are nice to use. It might seem disgusting washing poop, but it’s not that bad. Plus they have a nice resell value in Taiwan. A new one costs maybe 300ntd and you can sell a used one for 200ntd
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Advice for the OP_? Don’t listen to cranks.
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Just to add: it is difficult to find safe open outdoor spaces for toddlers to roam on their own; its practically non-existent. Prepare to spend a lot of time exploring different parks before you settle on an outside routine:
Most playgrounds have adjoining adult exercise areas (with weird equipment that’s not child-safe). We sometimes take ours to local school sports grounds for footie and a jog.
Watch out for weird parenting habits that your child might start copying. We are raising our kids to be independent, so outdoors playtime routine is us mostly saying: go do your thing and be safe! Most parents at playgrounds hover and follow their kids onto the slides, swings, mazes, say “hao pang” for every step their children make. Kids copy what others do, to the point where our kids sometimes insist on us doing the same. Gird ye for the battle!
Simplifying indoor layout and securing furniture go without saying.
Congrats and good luck!
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I have a heart attack every time I see young kids walk towards those ski machines while people are using them. Imagine taking that to the face.
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Moronic selfish helicopter parents that wear big backpacks and climb up inside play castles, they actually create danger for other kids, but not their own. Especially little tots. I swear it is all a big show with some parents, they put on a ‘look at me I’m an amazing parent’ act at the park in front of all the other parents. Not sure what it achieves, but some of the displays I’ve seen, they can’t possibly have that much energy fourteen hours a day, that is for sure.
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Before I become dad I had talk with good psychiatrist.
Remove pacifier and breastfeeding at latest around 8 months. Baby must learn to calm down without it. By talk and hug. Is good for jaw muscle, teeth position and especially tongue strength. Voice can develop.
No TV, phone, screen, or agressive lights, noisy people. Children brains need pieceful einvoroment. Kids should be bored, you are not their entertainment clown, but a father. They will figure by themselves how to kill time and sharp imagination by doing this. Less toys, the better. Teach discipline with love. ROUTINE, be confident and constant. No is no.
Encourage moving, is good for brains and body development. Rotate your child vertically, horizontally. Slowly and gentle at first. Don’t fix their body. Don’t fix head. Give d vitamin and omega 3.
Raise them up to be confident and responsible. Remember this is the most important job you ever had
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