Oc Thanh Van: Teaching children independence even when they attend expensive schools.
Actress Oc Thanh Van invests billions of VND in her children's education at international schools, but still teaches them independence through household chores and respects their personal preferences, including their long hair.
Actress Oc Thanh Van and her husband, businessman Chi Rua, are famous for their scientific approach to raising their three Alpha children, focusing on holistic development. Despite investing heavily in their education at international schools, she still emphasizes fostering independence and respecting each child's individuality.
Invest in education, but don't neglect life skills.
Ốc Thanh Vân's three children, Coca (born in 2011), Cola (born in 2013), and Cacao (born in 2015), have all attended a prestigious international school since childhood. Based on tuition fees for the 2025-2026 school year, the cost per child ranges from 515 to 844 million VND per year, depending on the grade level. In total, her family could spend between 1.6 and 2.6 billion VND annually on the education of all three children.
In 2024, the family took their children to Australia for a period of time to experience an international environment. However, after a year, Oc Thanh Van decided to bring them back to Vietnam to be closer to family. She shared that this experience was very valuable and the children quickly readjusted to their old learning environment. The actress also revealed an interesting fact: "Actually, my children spend more money in Vietnam than in Australia."
Respect your child's individuality and feelings.
One of the core principles in Oc Thanh Van's parenting style is respecting children's preferences and feelings. Instead of using corporal punishment, she and her husband choose gentle communication to help their children adjust their behavior. This viewpoint is clearly demonstrated by her support for her youngest son, Cacao, growing his hair long to his waist for a long time because it was his preference.
When her daughter showed signs of boredom and reluctance to go to school, Oc Thanh Van didn't force or scold her. Instead, she allowed her daughter a day of "laziness," while also sharing her empathy: "We all have our own moments of frustration... Don't rush to scold your child for 'going to a prestigious school and still being spoiled'."
Cultivate independence starting with the smallest things.
To encourage her children to do chores and develop independence, Oc Thanh Van created an interesting "price list" for chores. Each activity has a symbolic "reward" such as: mopping 15,000 VND/floor, vacuuming 12,000 VND/floor, or fetching water 4,000 VND/time. This method helps motivate the children and understand the value of labor.
The actress revealed that she had been teaching her children independence in personal matters since they were just 3 years old. As a result, Coca, Cola, and Cacao are all very self-reliant in taking care of themselves and helping their parents with chores such as cooking, washing dishes, and cleaning the house. Currently, after returning to Vietnam, Oc Thanh Van's family has settled down, and she is gradually returning to artistic activities with great support from her husband and children.
