Donald Trump declared he will end birthright citizenship in the United States on a recent episode of NBC’s Meet the Press. The 45th and 47th U.S. President has long talked about a system being abused, and he may have more support than previously. An Axios poll taken in mid-2024 suggests a rising number of voters would support his comments.
Conversely, he did show support for Dreamers — children brought illegally to the United States who grow up and feel American. This stance contrasts with Trump’s previous actions and rhetoric on the matter, says Hamed Aleaziz in The New York Times.
Dreaming of a New Life
These American residents originate in foreign lands, traditionally America’s neighboring countries, mostly growing up without learning their mother tongue. They may pass through several countries before arriving in the U.S., and once there, Dreamers embrace the host culture.
Dreamers share similarities with another type of migratory foreigner: the third culture kid (TCK). It’s a term not familiar in the mainstream, though perhaps it should be. TCKs are also defined as growing up in a country different from their parents’ origin.
Third Culture Kids Are Everywhere
The main difference between a Dreamer and a TCK is the latter may be born in a foreign land or even live in multiple countries throughout their childhood. There are subsequent challenges for TCK parents, most of whom grew up with firmly planted cultural roots.
In 1999, a seminal book on the subject emerged: Third Culture Kids: The Experience of Growing Up Among Worlds. The book’s authors, David C. Pollock and Ruth E. Van Reken, explored the many traits TCKs have.
“The TCK frequently builds relationships to all of the cultures, while not having full ownership in any,” says Pollock. “Although elements from each culture may be assimilated…the sense of belonging is [often] in relationship to others of a similar background.”
Third Culture Kid Traits
Several traits might distinguish a TCK from their more settled peers, both positive and negative. The advantages are:
- Resilience – The constant exposure to geographical change makes TCKs more adaptable to new environments.
- Open-mindedness – Immersion in non-native cultures can promote more empathy for others and tolerance of diverse perspectives.
- Linguistic abilities – Many TCKs learn new host languages at school or work, often while juggling one or more native languages at home.
- Cultural comfort – TCKs have fewer problems understanding or appreciating different worldviews, religious norms, and culinary conventions.
However, not all TCKs have it easy, especially when surrounded by peers born and bred in their non-native homes. This scenario can manifest in certain ways:
- Identity crises – Not living in at least one parent’s host culture for too long can be detrimental to building identity, especially when returning to that country.
- Struggling with stability – Living one’s formative years in flux can make adapting to long-term situations difficult.
- Underlying loss – It isn’t easy to say goodbye to childhood friends, which can lead to grief later in life. Losing access to these relationships might create trust issues when making new ones.
- The inability to settle down – The exposure to constant moving can hinder a TCK’s chances of putting down roots in one location.
Ruth Useem is widely considered the “mother of TCKs” and has explored the phenomenon since the ’50s. Of course, the world has changed much since the days she lived abroad, became a TCK, and later had three of her own.No Home Country
The late Useem’s website documents much of her work, not least a series of academic reviews on the subject. In one survey, she and her colleagues polled grown-up TCKs living in the United States. Only 10% of those questioned said they had attuned to everyday U.S. life after a long time elsewhere.
Useem was part of a generation of TCKs that differed from today’s more interconnected youngsters. In Useem’s day, the TCK traits might be more accentuated. Kids in the ’50s and ’60s didn’t have the same smart technology to keep in contact with friends and families in their parents’ countries. Yet, raising a modern TCK still comes with many challenges and rewards.
The Parenting Dilemma
A Business Insider article explores one such case study for parents considering a move abroad. American Steve Gardner founded the teen empowerment organization, The Global Impact Council. In the article, he shares parenting tips from life in Singapore, raising two boys with his Chinese wife.
“Every year, we aim to take our kids to both of their heritage countries — U.S. and China,” he writes. “That way, they know they live in Singapore, but they’re from two other different countries.”
He cites difficulty creating an effective linguistic environment at home as just one part of embracing a multicultural lifestyle. When they lived in the U.S. during their first child’s early years, he and his wife chose to speak Mandarin at home. They found switching to English made better sense once abroad, if anything, to preserve cultural ties to the U.S.
“While it’s a lot of work to maintain multiple languages in our home, it’s required for our kids to connect with their heritage,” he said. “This gives them…a greater sense of belonging wherever they may be.”
Teaching Values Comes First
Most importantly, Gardner has a methodology for helping his kids adapt to their future surroundings. People who grow up and live adult lives in the same place can always feel they belong to one place. Gardner prefers his boys “explore their core values so that they won’t be caged into a false identity chosen for them by their peer group.”
The TCK lifestyle will become more widespread in the coming years. Evidence shows the American expat population is on the rise, according to Jatin Prabhu of Reviewron. He reveals that in the first three quarters of 2024, there was a 28% increase in U.S. citizens being expatriated compared to the same period in 2023.
A Growing Phenomenon
Meanwhile, an Association of American Residents Overseas ( AARO ) post states that 5.5 million U.S. citizens live abroad. This amount represents the highest number since the COVID-19 pandemic.
Clearly, the third culture kid lifestyle will become more widespread in the coming years. Ironically, Dreamers will likely feel more at home in America than their American-born, third culture peers.