What’s your opinion on this? Kids born in U.K. move to USA.

[Green215]

Do you know of any British families that moved to the USA permanently with children who were born in the UK and then those children were raised in the USA?

The reason I ask is because I really want to know whether you think those British-born kids would end up identifying as American or still identify as British. Whether they’d speak with an American accent or British accent; whether they’d care more about US history or British history; whether they’d know US slang or British; whether they’d watch British sports or American sports etc.

I’ve always found it confusing why British-born people who move to the USA end up not identifying much with Britain or Americans with British parents don’t call themselves “British-Americans” unlike people who moved from Italy or Germany or India or Ireland etc.

Do you think the children would be more patriotic about the U.K. or USA; more willing to serve in the British military or U.S. military?

Do any of you know any examples of this - I’d be really interested to know.

Would the kids grow up to take pride in July 4th even though that’s about fighting against Britain (their home country)?

I have family members who have moved back and forth between the UK & US. One English parent, one American parent. All children have dual citizenship.

Two born here, one born in Germany, One born in the US.

They see themselves as a bit of each. The dcs will join in with 4th July or Guy Fawkes. The eldest is at university in the UK. the second in New York.

I don't think any of them would join the military. Both daughters are planning to live in the UK. They are all fairly cosmopolitan, and at home either side of the pond.

We moved to the US in 2017. Since then my children still have their accents and very much identify as being British. They are both at university now in the US. Neither are interested in sports but we’ve started to follow our local WBNA team as they’re doing rather well. I love football in the UK, especially the women’s league so they are spectators of that. One child goes to a university where their American football team is doing really well, we’ve been fans of that while they’ve been a student there.

I know several families from the UK over here now and yes, they all love seeing the forth of July fireworks. It’s been a long time ago so no weird feelings from them or any Americans I’ve met.

British history is so much more interesting imo than US history and we all watch loads of documentaries on it.

Overall I think they’ll always feel British first.. but they have embraced aspects of US life. I’d assume most people that move here for a while would feel the same otherwise what’s the point?

Both my kids were born in the UK and mainly raised in the US. They’re college (and post college) age now and definitely Americans, proper New Yorkers, in fact. They are aware of their British roots and have family and have spent a lot of time there but they’re definitely Americans.

We all celebrate July 4th, it’s just a nice Summer day off. As a British person, it doesn’t bother me what the meaning is behind it.

No one describes themselves as “British American” or “Anglo- American” because the Englishness is implicit when you say “American”. I know Europeans have a hard time with the hyphen but it’s not really anything to do with being born in another country. An Irish American, for example, wouldn’t be born in Ireland. Then they would just be “Irish”.

I don’t think either would sign up for the military so can’t really help with that. We’re all of us more patriotic towards the US because this is home but also there is more focus on being patriotic in the States. It’s a country of immigrants and being American under one flag unites us all.

There is a whole thing online about "Third culture kids" or TCKs - where the parents have one culture (in your example, British) and the children grow up in another culture (in your example, American) and they end up with a foot in either and almost a "third culture" of their own.

We live in Germany. DH and I feel British. Our kids although British by blood feel German. Only one of them has dual nationality because we were only here long enough with the youngest. The eldest is 17 and wants to naturalise as German.

They definitely all have much closer ties with the UK than their classmates do but they adopt the culture of where they grow up. IME.

Why don’t Americans of British descent do more to support Britain politically like other ethnic groups do with their homelands ie lobby post-Brexit for a U.S. trade deal or lobby during the Troubles in support of Britain while Irish-Americans funded the IRA?

I have relatives with one British and one American parent, they were born in Britain but all went to America before the age of 10. They consider themselves American, entirely reasonably, as they have been there 30+ years.

PS, is that you, jane? Did you make it to uni?

Please tell me it’s not ‘that’ poster 🤦‍♀️

The barrage of questions is making it seem very likely

p.s my money’s on her not making it to uni

Not certain, but the style is… reminiscent!

I think it’s totally about how culturally assimilated you become and what your connections are to where you were born.

I am American by birth. I lived in the US for 30 years (with a few short stints working abroad). I moved to the UK when I was 30 and have lived here 15 years now. I now have dual nationality.

I consider myself British. I have friends back in the US, but no close family. I never travel back. Haven’t been in 8 years, only been maybe 4 times in the 7 years before that. I still have an American accent to British people, but it’s a funny one. To Americans, I sound British. 🤷🏻‍♀️ They don’t buy that I’m American at all. 😂 Culturally, I’m British. Americans would find me odd because I’m not stereotypically ‘American’. That would probably be less the case if I had family ties there. If I talked to family or friends regularly and still had a strong accent. If I travelled there or had any plans to return.

But I’m very assimilated here because everything in my life is in the UK. That may or may not be the case for families who move abroad, but it’s what makes the difference.

The only ties I have left to America are about voting. I vote in absolutely every election, no matter how big or small. Because we all need to be saved from this nonsense.

I have a friend who moved to the US when we were around 15 (now in 40s). She definitely identifies more as American and has an American accent now.

My cousins moved from England to America about thirty years ago. The children were very young and both have 100% American accents now. When England play in the Euros or World Cup they put an England flag up outside. They are very proud to be English but would never move back

I’ve just stayed with some friends who moved to the states 25 years ago, they still have their British accent. They supported Europe in the golf but are also really into American sport. They’d never move back because of the amazing lifestyle they have.

I can only speak for myself, but being English, I was taught never to discuss politics or religion. Bad manners and unhelpful socially.

Other people do not need to know what I think politically.

I think the accent thing is very individual. I've friends moved from London to Northern Ireland and some keep their accent but some very quickly adopt a northern Irish one.

Nearly all got Irish passport as soon as they could and generally will say they are Irish when asked abroad.

It's a problem where I think a small minority have eroded pride in claiming British as heritage.

I can understand not speaking out against IRA funding..... Fear and a healthy dose of romantic nonsense on the part of America.
Plus I guess the Irish Americans were well embedded in America.

My parents took us there when I was 2 and my sister was 6 months. We had no family there and ended up moving back because we were so homesick.

Not quite the same but I’m a Brit living in the US, with two US born children who are dual citizens. I have one kid who strongly identifies with his English roots and another who feels mostly American. We celebrate July 4th out here as my husband is American and it’s a big holiday here, but I guess because I don’t think the British behaved brilliantly in that whole situation I don’t feel too bad about it 😆

Accent wise, I still have mine after 10+ years and my eldest’s teachers tell me all the time how much they love his English accent, even though he’s never lived in the UK.

And your tax forms that go to the IRS every year I hope? (hoping for your sake!)

I forgot to say that my kids support English teams in domestic and international football and also follow English cricket but they are die-hard Yankees fans also.

My child is British and American and the preference is for him to grow up here in the UK as once you move the dominant culture will be American (smth both parents want to avoid).