Job Discussion Forums

[chi-chi-]

With the way many Japanese companies dangle visas, I would only try this if every single one of your kids has a dependent visa from the Japanese consulate in your home country before you go.
And no, I still think this is a bad idea.
Japan is the most expensive country in the world.
You would have to hire a sitter full time while you are out making ends meet.
You would prob. have to get work in a hostess bar to support all of them,.
Heed my advice, and check out Korea.
Besides if you have teenage girls, do you really want them recruited for the porn industry.
And um, yes, it happens.
PM me and I can give you good advice on Korea or even some other places.
IMHO Japan is the WORST place you could go with the finances involved.

[bearcat]

[chi-chi-]

[bearcat]

[PAULH]

[Sherri]

My former ward office in Tokyo (Toshima-ku) provided babysitters for 800 an hour. They came to our home, some preferred to take the children back to their own place. They were all older women in their 50s with lots of experience and training. I always felt they had everything under control and when I came home, they gave me a full written report (in Japanese) detailing the day. I think that is a pretty reasonable service. There are many babysitting services out there at all price ranges. People tend not to use teenage neighbors for babysitters (as Paul mentioned) but the idea of a babysitter exists and is well used. I had many Japanese friends who used babysitters!

There are also afterschool facilities run by the ward office for school age kids. Maybe Paul remembers what they are called--I can't for the life of me remember now--that a lot of working parents use and are reasonable. I don't think that Malsmom would necessarily have to have a full time sitter as Chi-Chi said.

[chi-chi-]

PaulH, you wouldn't let immature 20 somethings baby-sit your kids?
Well what about people that age who have kids?
I don't, but know many who do.
I don't see your point.
And I don't get the attitude coming from bearcat. Why the hostility anyway, what's wrong with you guys?
Oh well, better for people to vent their frustrations online I guess.
Some of the people on this board appear to like to argue.
Oh well it was an interesting discussion.
Smile everyone!
From a 20 something who likes to smile cuz she isn't wore out from life yet.

[PAULH]

[bearcat]

[bearcat]

[Sherri]

Bearcat
Can I confirm that there are babysitters which exist "wholly throught Japan or even outside of Tokyo"?

Well I can confirm that for my 2 kids I used babysitters as I said above. (I lived in Tokyo for 14 years by the way, though my oldest was 3 when we left Japan) We used the ward office and private companies when the ward office didn't work out. I think most wards in Tokyo have some sort of service, in some wards it's called the silver service, but not all. Many large companies which deal with child-related products in Japan like Benesse and Pelican have their own babysitting services. The after school service I was talking about are not hoikuen and yochien but for school-aged children. It is usually held in the local Jidokan or sometimes on the actual school grounds depending on the school.

Babysitting as we see it in the States at least is not the same. Here I could ask my neighbor in a pinch --I wouldn't have done that in Tokyo. Here in the States, I suppose I could get a teenaged neighbor to come by and sit (but I don't). That is almost unheard of in Japan. BUT once I had a Japanese friend who had spent many years abroad and had a daughter in university, she came and sat for us a few times in Tokyo. That is unusual I think and was only because of their experience abroad. Still babysitting services are alive and kicking (see the paste below from Tokyowithkids.com)

We belonged to an agency which was owned by Pelican. It was reasonable for us because my husband had coupons for some reason (work? I can't remember) so we didn't have to pay the registration fee. Once you have kids (do you have any Bearcat?) you suddenly start getting all this mail for child-related services through the mail. Mail order services, private schools, day care, after school care, etc. It is BIG business!

(Pasted from Tokyowithkids.com)
In the Tokyo area there are babysitting agencies that will send a caregiver or maid to your home. English is not always spoken and these companies tend to be a little more expensive than hiring a sitter directly. However, the following childcare services can be especially useful when taking care of a new baby, or as a backup when your regular babysitter isn't available.

Homeaid, Tel: 3781-7536

Baby Life Center, Tel: 3485-0630

Kinder Network, Tel: 3486-8278

Tom Sawyer, Tel: 3770-9530

Poppins Service, Tel: 3447-2100

Tokyo Domestic, Tel: 3584-4769

Kids World is part of a chain of private child-care facilities that has expanded its locations throughout Tokyo since first opening in 1994.

Each location is staffed by at least one native English speaker in addition to other bilingual teachers. Drop-in service is available and several parents have mentioned how much their children enjoy the fun activities at Kids World. The many convenient locations in central Tokyo have made this company especially popular among the foreign community. For more information, contact the head office at 0120-001527.

The largest listing of babysitters in the Tokyo/Yokohama area can be found on the electronic Tokyo Area Babysitting Bulletin Board which just recently became part of the new Tokyowithkids.com Website. The information is free, and I am amazed at the sheer number of babysitters, organized efficiently by location. This is an invaluable resource for parents, so be sure to check out http://www.tokyowithkids.com/babysitter/list/

[chi-chi-]

To bearcat,
As far as the porn scouts, I have met people in my hometown who married Japanese, had children, and then left Japan just for that reason.
And as far as the op having an 11 year old. My two best friends lived in Japan when they were 10-11, and started some veery nasty habits there.
So no, I am not just posting urban legend.
For the op, I would still recommend Korea as it is more conservative. I also know people who brought their kids to Korea. There, they got pressure not to smoke, etc. I am not saying Korea is perfect or even that I myself would go back there...but for kids, it is a better deal.
This is just my opinion.
I have friends with felon charges for drug habits they began IN JAPAN at just 11 years old.
I think the OP has a right not to have things sugar-coated for her.
Chi

[malsmom]

thanks for the many replies. This topic seems to be straying a bit from my original post and questions. But thanks for the info.

as an FYI, the job was NOT a dispatch job. But I'm glad to know what those involve so I can avoid that in the future.

And I'm a bit uncertain why some posters think I'm so ready to sacrifice my children/children's eduation. Let me point out I'm not in Japan and I'm not going to be there in the very near future as I want to gather all the info I can and then decide if it is feasible for my family.

If there was time to get to know me, I hope you would understand how my kids come first. It isn't easy being a single mom to 3 and after my first bio and failed marriage, I adopted the other 2--which wasn't easy nor cheap. I don't like to think that I'd ever do anything to jeporadize their welll being after all I did to have them in my life.

I'll be around hoping to learn more. Thanks for your willingness to share though I have to say I admire some posters a bit more than others for their info and attitude.

Malsmom.

[taikibansei]

My 1.5 yen as a former, long-term Japan resident and father of four.

Tokyo, in my experience, is almost a separate country from the rest of Japan. For instance, while I can certainly believe qualified 'babysitting' services are available there, I can say confidently as well that no such services were available in all of Fukui Prefecture as of 2001. If you wanted someone to look after your young kids, you either asked a close relative or you paid for a full day at a hoikuen (like a preschool). Furthermore, while again the situation in Tokyo may be different, non-white/black children lacking in Japanese ability were prime targets for bullying in Fukui. Brazilian and Peruvian kids without Japanese language ability, for instance, were literally tortured locally. Heck, even my own kids (who spoke Japanese fluently) initially had some trouble--took my wife and I going down to the school and raising heck in Japanese to get things rectified. If you, as the sole parent, lack Japanese ability, I don't see how your three kids could go to anything but an international school (which you won't be able to afford on a single salary).

While I admire what you're trying to do and why, I'd recommend against moving with your family to Japan--unless you were hired to work f/t at an international school in, say, Tokyo or Kobe and could enroll your three kids for free (or at least half-price) there as well.

[taikibansei]