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| Children living with their parents in rented accommodation in Tri An commune, Dong Nai province. Photo: Doan Phu |
These places may lack basic facilities, but they are still chosen by many families.
Children who integrate easily
If not prevented by their parents or educated to limit their contact with the outside world, children in boarding houses can easily access, freely gather, and play with their peers.
Ms. Huynh Chau Nhu (from Tran Bien ward, Dong Nai province) expressed: Although they have a house in their hometown ( Tay Ninh province), for the past 10 years, she and her husband have had to accept renting a room in Nam Ha neighborhood, an area with many migrant workers, to make it convenient for work and for their two children (grades 4 and 7) to attend school. Throughout their years living there, she and her children have always considered the people in and outside the rented accommodation as family. They often share gifts from their hometowns or invite each other to meals during family anniversaries or celebrations, and the children are always present at these occasions.
According to Ms. Nhu, children are not like adults; they only play with those they get along with, even if their parents aren't close or sometimes there's discrimination based on wealth, education, or social connections. It's easy for children to be exposed to negativity, lack discipline, and behave disrespectfully if parents don't promptly remind and educate them. However, this doesn't mean parents should be extreme in forbidding their children from playing, interacting, and making friends, because children also need to learn from each other's innocence, good qualities, and resilience in overcoming adversity.
As a single mother, I chose a place to rent that ensures security and order, limits drinking parties, and where everyone in the neighborhood lives respectfully and is always supportive of families with children living with us. Therefore, when I have to go on business trips and won't be home for 2-3 days, I can still feel at ease.
Ms. Ly Thi Hanh, Nam Ha neighborhood, Tran Bien ward, Dong Nai province
Mr. Nguyen Anh Tuan's boarding house (in Ong Huong neighborhood, Trang Dai ward, Dong Nai province) is rented by people from provinces such as An Giang, Vinh Long, and Dong Thap who work at businesses in the Thanh Phu Industrial Cluster (Tan Trieu ward, Dong Nai province) or are freelance workers. Mr. Tuan said: His boarding house has 47 rooms/6 rows, currently rented by couples and groups of young people. Each room has an area of 30-40 square meters (including the mezzanine), with a rent of 800,000 to 1,000,000 VND per room. Because he doesn't limit the number of occupants, each room usually has 4-6 people to reduce costs and facilitate living and caring for each other.
His boarding house houses over 10 children aged 1-12, who live with their parents or older siblings. Arguments and disagreements are inevitable during their daily lives, sometimes involving adults, but they usually resolve to reconcile after a few days. Some tenants behave inconsiderately towards each other and the children. If they don't improve after being reminded, he encourages them to move to another boarding house so the children can have a friendly and harmonious environment to play in, allowing their parents to work with peace of mind.
Ms. Nguyen Thi Linh (56 years old, from Dong Thap province) said: Her small family consists of five people: her husband, two daughters, and one granddaughter (one year old). Because the rental housing complex has separate entrances for each row of rooms and shared living spaces, the children in the complex can play together freely under the supervision of adults. Older children aged 12-16, outside of school hours, can look after their younger siblings when their parents are at work. In this way, they grew up, and many of them went on to work, learn trades, or attend university from this rental housing complex.
Adding to the unique character of the boarding house.
As an industrial province, Dong Nai attracts a large number of migrant workers or people moving from rural areas to urban areas and industrial zones for work. During this migration, they bring their children with them, so choosing a place to live that offers security, order, a friendly environment, and educational opportunities is always a top priority for parents.
Therefore, in addition to choosing accommodation that is convenient for studying and dropping off and picking up their children, immigrants also focus on a living environment suitable for their children, such as: many children from the same country and of the same age, well-behaved and resilient individuals, and a lack of social vices…
Mr. Le Van Nhi (from Binh Phuoc ward, Dong Nai province) shared: His hometown is Hue, so in 2010, when he and his wife brought their two young children (in 7th and 10th grade) to Binh Phuoc ward to make a living, he chose Tan Xuan neighborhood to rent a room because there were many people from Hue and Quang Nam living there. Because they were new compatriots and hardworking, he and his wife and children were well-liked and helped by everyone, not only in daily life but also with work in the fields and gardens. The children in the neighborhood loved to befriend and play with his children because of their distinct Hue accent and their academic achievements.
Neighborhood 2 in Bien Hoa Ward, Dong Nai Province, despite having many rental houses and a large number of immigrants, still has a significant number of long-time local residents. Besides the rental housing established by newly arrived, wealthier residents, there are many rental properties built by locals for business purposes, aiming to utilize the large plots of land to earn extra income and cover living expenses in their old age.
Mr. Nguyen Van Thanh (owner of 10 rental rooms in Ward 2, Bien Hoa neighborhood) shared: "For couples renting rooms with young children, I always prioritize good, convenient locations for daily life, ensuring their health and allowing for childcare while parents are at work. For others, a rental area with many children would be noisy, inconvenient, and complicated, but for me, it's the opposite. Being near children means being close to them, and providing a stable place for their parents to study and live in the rental area creates long-term stability for their education and avoids areas with security and social problems, especially when parents don't have much time to supervise and educate them due to earning a living."
According to Mr. Thanh, spending time with the young children who live in his rented rooms every day, he loves them like his own children and grandchildren. During Tet (Lunar New Year), when the children go back to their hometowns with their parents, the quiet atmosphere of the rented rooms makes him feel nostalgic.
Doan Phu
Source: https://baodongnai.com.vn/xa-hoi/202603/lon-len-noi-xom-tro-e9c34d0/
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