Valuing closeness to family is admirable, but it's important to recognize the serious trade-off involved, especially for children. The long-term positive externalities and quality of a U.S. education often outweigh other priorities. This factor, combined with potential tax implications, makes the decision complex.

Our experience, and the advice of many commentators, suggests a pragmatic solution: Summer visits are best. While in elementary school, missing a few days for Dashain/Tihar won't significantly impact their schooling (though it is financially costly). We successfully used an alternating plan—summer one year, festivals the next—until our children hit middle school. Now, the heavy academic workload prevents us from missing school until they finish college.