Raising kids in Bulgaria

My kids are 3 and 1, so I don't know much about activities for school-aged kids. But my 3-year-old has gone to yasla and detska gradina with no problems and has picked up Bulgarian there. There are many lovely walking places for families. The country is definitely family-friendly; an entire family raises one child together, the grandma and grandpa also watching him. I recommend it for raising kids because it is more laid back and not as competitive as a culture as compared to America, in my view.

I can pretty much echo your entire post. A 3 and 1 year old, 3 year old loves kindergarten (and I love that it costs about 10% of minimum wage to send him there).

We are thinking about enrolling our son in some extra curricular programs next year. His school offers basketball, football, dance (traditional, ballet, and ballroom), singing, majorettes (for boys and girls), yoga and a few others for a small fee. Of course, the instruction is not as good as it is in the private clubs, so we might pay a bit more and opt for that instead.

Private offerings include everything I listed above as well as various martial arts, swimming, languages, art, cycling, orienteering, scouts, etc. All at different ages and skill levels.

In our city (Gabrovo) music lessons can start around 4 years old for piano. I haven't looked into many other options.

There is plenty of hourly daycare (centers and individuals) at between 3-6 lev an hour, per child.

The extended family jumping in to help out here is amazing. Even though my mother-in-law lives four hours away, we go visit once a month and she is always so helpful with the kids. In fact, she took my 3 year old for the week to give me a break this month. This is something that isn't so common in the US.

Things my son likes doing here? Going to the beach in the summer. Going camping. We take him with us to a scout camp we volunteer at every summer (for about 10 days). Ice skating- Varna has a year-round indoor rink, most cities have outdoor rinks in the winter. He likes going on bike rides (on the child seat of our bike). He loves working in the garden with his grandparents and cooking with me.

Bulgarians tend to be strict about gender roles in children, which is a little difficult for us as both me and my husband are quite progressive. Ex. my son likes painting his nails. I let him wear black nail polish to yasla one day and the parents freaked out about how we were ruining him and next he would be asking for a pony tail. (As a side note, his father has a pony tail, so not seeing that as a big deal).

Not sure how health care is for non-Bulgarian citizens, but I have liked the health care available for my kids. Monthly checkups the first year, every three months the second, and then yearly. Then, whenever they get sick, just drop in to see their pediatrician, no appointment necessary. (All free, of course). They have a different vaccine schedule than in the US, and the anti-vax movement is pretty strong here.

Here people seem more free with their kids. People will leave the stroller outside a store or outside the kindergarten in good weather, not afraid that someone will kidnap their kid. Young kids (7,8) walk to school on their own, and I always hear kids playing outside late into the evening during the summer.

Oh, and if you are working in Bulgaria, then you have the right to three years of maternity leave (first at 90% of the average of your previous 2 year's salary, second at minimum wage, third unpaid) and extra sick days if you have a child under 8 years old.

I love that kids in Bulgaria get out and play. When I walk from the apartment to Fantastico, the playground is always full. Every playground I pass has kids playing. Parks generally have groups of kids playing. Teens hangout in groups all over the place.

Quite different than here in the states where it's now rare to see kids playing as they're addicted to phones/computers. Walking around Bulgaria for me is like going back to my childhood in the 80's and 90's and how things used to be.

The maternity leave is a MAJOR point as kojidae brought up. My wife's friends regularly take 2+ years off after having a child. One had three children in seven years, didn't work a single day during that period yet was paid the entire time. In general family and family ties are more important in Bulgaria.

If you're an international family the chance to have your children meet and interact with kids from different cultures is great. Can also balance city life with going to the mountains or to the Black Sea in the summer. Food is very healthy so that's great as well.

Bulgaria really seems safer to me. Here in the states people are worried about everything from gangs/drugs to pedophiles. It's almost irresponsible to allow your kid to play in the park alone or without adults. Meanwhile in a city like Sofia it's common to see kids just going about their business across the city without worry.

I'm not a fan of the education though. I'd go private school personally.