The other night Benjamin and I were reading out of his Zoobooks magazine. This month’s edition was about baby animals and we learned that when Rhesus monkeys want to play, they look at each other upside down through their legs. It was so fitting because just that morning I captured this picture of Sadie. She is definitely my little monkey. Maybe using the term feral is too harsh, but boy when others told me that no two children are alike, they were right.
When it comes to indulging children in Korea, it’s a bit of a paradox. On one hand, it’s amazing to see how the younger children are catered to. So many restaurants and most large department stores have elaborate indoor play areas. There are all kinds of cute accessories made for children. Toddlers appear to have less structure than we impose upon them. I have noticed this in Sadie’s nursery school. Korean mothers and grandmothers freely go about their business with their babies neatly tucked up and wrapped around their backs. These babies hardly seem to utter a peep and are quite content. They are constantly doted on. I need to learn some of their secrets because the Korean mothers just seem less stressed than American moms.
On the other hand, when the children are in middle school and beyond, immense academic pressure is placed upon them. There is no such thing as a summer vacation where children attend summer camp or just simply relax. Their school year begins in March, and although there is a long break that starts in December, most of the children are placed in more academies to learn English, math and science skills. Up until around 9 pm children are being dropped off and picked up and shuffled to their next class. When they return from their long day of instruction they are in their rooms doing homework until late at night. The competition to get into good universities and obtain good jobs is fierce.
I think I’ll let my little offspring be monkeys for a while.
When it comes to indulging children in Korea, it’s a bit of a paradox. On one hand, it’s amazing to see how the younger children are catered to. So many restaurants and most large department stores have elaborate indoor play areas. There are all kinds of cute accessories made for children. Toddlers appear to have less structure than we impose upon them. I have noticed this in Sadie’s nursery school. Korean mothers and grandmothers freely go about their business with their babies neatly tucked up and wrapped around their backs. These babies hardly seem to utter a peep and are quite content. They are constantly doted on. I need to learn some of their secrets because the Korean mothers just seem less stressed than American moms.
On the other hand, when the children are in middle school and beyond, immense academic pressure is placed upon them. There is no such thing as a summer vacation where children attend summer camp or just simply relax. Their school year begins in March, and although there is a long break that starts in December, most of the children are placed in more academies to learn English, math and science skills. Up until around 9 pm children are being dropped off and picked up and shuffled to their next class. When they return from their long day of instruction they are in their rooms doing homework until late at night. The competition to get into good universities and obtain good jobs is fierce.
I think I’ll let my little offspring be monkeys for a while.
2 comments:
Curious George?
I know, isn't it crazy how much school Korea kids have to endure. I have several friends that are teachers here in Korea who say they think the intensity is counterproductive. Their students fall asleep in class at unusual rates all because they never sleep...study, study, study. I think the key is balance. Even where the young toddler Koreans are concerned.
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