Belize and children.

My husband and I are looking to leave the US in the next 5 years.  We have at 2.5 yr old daughter.  We are curious about experiences in Belize with kids or any other South American countries.     Thanks so much!     

I am thrilled to  know such a venue for Expats exists!!! :)

In Belize, the intake in schools usually begin in September and end in June

Not really they do not have anything like that long a break in the summer 6 weeks max.  school year is more like late August till Mid July.  But they do have longer breaks than north America at Christmas and Easter,  and half term breaks as well the  # ends of  term times, being Christmas, Easter and summer.Expat opportunities are very limited if you are not starting/purchasing a business, employment for Expats is very difficult and the wages are considerably lower than you are likely to have experienced.  I put that in as mentioning small children leads me to believe you are not looking for a retirement venue. OK  now  I sound pedantic but Belize is Central America not South America.

All that she said is true, except I think the school part is off I think the June school is like a summer school. I think regular classes are done end of May, especially for primary ages.

Anyway, in general Belize is an awesome place to raise kids. There are tons of kids here, and they spend a lot of time playing together outside. Kids here are polite and friendly. They are gentle and kind. So much fun outdoor stuff to do and way less pressure than raising kids in the US.

I used to live in Belize but now I am in Merida Mx. I an a retired ICU nurse. I did some volunteer work at a rural school in Belize. I am not impressed with the education system. The curriculum is very dated. There are errors in tense. Sexist attitudes are prevalent. You find things like ..” Mary is good at math because God gave her a skill”. Education is formulaic and stifling of creativity. Almost no schools have any arts programmes. Schools are very much focused on the three R's and many struggle with too few teachers and poor facilities.
Home schooling  in my view has its disadvantages: parents are not generally trained educators, there are biases. Parents and children need a break from each other and there is a need to interact with other adults and kids.
Educating kids in Belize does not prepare them for the 21st century.
Medical care in Belize is generally substandard. Kids get sick and injured. The pediatricians I met were great but hampered by poor medical infrastructure and trauma care.
If you want to  retire to Belize thats swell, but kids needs a chance to succeed in the  real world.

Absolutely correct, I'm still trying to find any good school in Belize city. 4 months now...

Just to note no Belize school at any level will cover a North American curriculum.
The base system is the UK system,  The language, spelling and grammar is British English, the History and Geography  is World history/geography, not US based , With more study of regional areas. Maths and sciences are usually the same as north America. The  external examinations needed to enter most international universities  are CSE O level and A level, with the European Baccalaureat as an option at the top end of High school. Kids who go through only the Belize system still manage to get into good Universities in Europe and north America.
It is not a north American country so it is going have an education system of its own, some overlap with other countries but always different.

Just want to say that my homeschooled/unschooled kids are very well prepared for the 21st century and excellent communicators with very adept social skills. Thanks for your super well informed opinion though, Susan Belize. Most schools in Belize are not well equipped, but they aren't near the tyrannical nightmare of US schools where kids are well prepared to take orders and do as they are told. There are a few good schools around Belize. I have heard good things about the Placencia International Academy, and I know there are good schools in Belmopan, Belize City, and San Pedro at the very least. The homeschooling community here is also very active and connected, you know, so our kids don't turn into the antisocial freaks others seem to think they will become.

Hi Monkey Town Brew...
Thank you for your comments on kids in Belize.
I appreciate the "generality" of your comments...Do you have more specific thoughts as to the "best" areas to live with and educate youngsters at the primary grades level?
Thank you...
Cheers, Grampa.

Thank you Monkey Town Brew...
I hadn't seen this more specific post earlier...
Where are you located...?
And what is the significance of your "handle" ...
Cheers, Grampa.

Please PM me or let me know what you find out.  We are looking to relocate from the US to Belize.  My parents are retired and selling their house, and my husband, myself and 6 year old decided it would be a great adventure to move with them.  I am working on the check off planning list to figure out where to live and how to start the process.