Taking my kids to third world country

Consider that there may actually be real danger to the kids, like diseases or high crime rate

That sounds like an excellent idea. I remember the first time I went to Mexico and saw absolute poverty. It's no wonder they risk their lives to come to the U.S.

Sounds fair. People in my country are constantly complaining over how everything sucks here. They don't know what they're talking about.

We have a tendency to judge how bad people have it in third world countries by our spoiled standards.

I've lived in a couple of what I prefer to call 2nd world and have visited a couple 3rd. I've noticed a lot of them have happy and sad times based on their way of life and their standards. They may actually be enjoying life more than us 1st world spoiled brats.

You want to visit a 3rd world that's truely 3rd go to your city of LA or Chicago. There you find people and a way of life living in dirt without food or shelter surrounded by the spoiled people. They know or think they have it bad because they are surrounded by the spoiled world.

The programs you have designed to help them actually are more designed to keep them there.

Are you thinking about selling one of them? You may get.a better deal locally, although the travel expense would make a nice tax deduction!

The fact that other people have it worse doesn't mean that problems in "first world" nations such as the US or whatever aren't legitimate. Imagine telling someone who has stepped on a rusted nail to just "get over it" because they at least have a leg still.

This is like asking if you should take your kids to the most deprived crime ridden place to give them some perspective. No its not a good idea people stay away from those kinds of places for a reason.

People in third world countries are not a human zoo. I think doing this would send completely the wrong message to your children. It sounds, rather ironically, like something a very privileged and out of touch person would do.

I spent a couple decades living in third world countries. It made me appreciate what we have in America. It disgusts me how so many feel entitled in America for granted. Just make sure the country you are bringing your family to is politically stable

Its a good idea... in fact you should do such trips routinely.

What would be more impactful. Start to sponsor a child - say though World Vision (the class act of the child sponsoring agencies in the USA) - and then take your children to visit that child and the country periodically as over 15 years or so.

You can show how a little charity (for your home country) can make a huge impact in other parts of the world.

I sponsored a child for about 15 years until they got married recently (no longer eligible for sponsorship once married). It was very meaningful. The letters and information that was shared are in one of my personal "treasures" boxes in the basement.

I believe that you will learn as much as your children.

Go for it!

Definitely not

This is absolutely ridiculous. You don't have to travel to a third country to show your children that there are less fortunate people. In all countries there are no matter where you live. So why not start home? Show them the homeless people, the drug addicts, the prostitutes. Or there are none of those where you live?
And in those third world countries there are people who are richer than you.

You don’t have to go far. I took my kids to Tijuana to show them what poverty is. They came back appreciating what they had.

I was talking to a native of where i live yesterday and he pissed me off. Going on about how terrible hus country is .....
I said to him that he has it better than the US when it comes to health care and homelessness. He would not believe me.This is common many people here believe the US and many other countries are so much better. But the people saying this have never lived outside their own country.
This is a problem, taking your kids to live in another country will undoubtedly benefit them. Most likely they will appreciate what the US has when they return and appreciate it.
Be careful where you go. You don't need to go to a third world country. Take them to a rural part of a modern European country, they will see a new culture, learn a new language and most likely be grateful for what the US has and in relative safety. Or they could fall in love with the place and not want to leave. A great experience for you all either way.

Go to L.A. or San Francisco. Almost as much a third world location as any other place in the world.