Korean Job Discussion Forums

[El Burro]

Hello everybody!
My wife and I and little girl will be arriving in Seoul soon. We would dearly love to find an English-speaking play group or pre-kinder or similar for her to go to. She is 2 years and 4 months and loves her little ��school�� where we are now. By the way, my wife is Spanish-speaking and our daughter is happy with both languages.
What do you other parents out there do with your little ones?

We would also like to make contacts with other parents of kids her age or a little older to find friends for her and hopefully for us too. Feel free to PM me if you like.

[fidel]

This post doesn't really answer any of your questions but will give you some idea about what to expect and what to look out for.

Personally I don't feel comfortable with entrusting the care of my son to strangers and would love for there to be playcenters like there are back home. In case you are unfamiliar with the term playcentres are like kindergartens but they aren't teacher led, parents themselves attend and look after the kids (using a roster system). Unfortunately I'm unaware of any such places in Korea, and if they exist they are most likely small, apartment based ones that are far from ideal. Also it pays to remember Koreans have a different attitude towards raising children than most 'westerners'

Don't expect kindergartens to have a grassy area for the kids to play in. Most likely they will have a small playground but they generally are unsafe and not really designed for little kids.

Your daughter will get a lot of attention from the locals a lot of it intrusive involving touching and the giving of food without asking the parents first if that's okay. This really p isses me off! However I learnt to avoid alot of it by steering clear of old people and adjumas two of the worst offenders. Learn some Korean phrases like "Filthy sojuhead don't touch my child with your vomit encrusted hands" andor"Are you friggin crazy, my child has an allergy to (insert food name) and will die if he eats that, use your brain you moronic imbecile!"

This is of course common sense but ALWAYS be aware of your surroundings when you are out walking. Motorbikes, cars, trucks, and the police all compete for sidewalk space. DON'T cross without waiting for the half a dozen idiots to drive through the red light. BE particulary cautious of taxis and buses.

Your first purchase has to be a car unless you want to put your child's life on the line by using taxis and buses. Subways can be useful on occasion but your daughter will garner too much attention. Having a car gives you and your family some peace of mind.

Good luck!

[Scott in HK]

To answer your question...

I live in Incheon and would love if there was a playgroup arrange on the west side of Seoul...would be willing to travel...

The teachers at my Uni always talk about getting together to let our kids play with each other but it never seems to materialize.

On the other side...

Our daughter goes to kindergarten and there is a grassy area for the kids to play...and a nice little playground. She goes to a Catholic Montessori school and the nuns are just great.

And we don't have a car...really have no problem going on the buses and taxis...they do get some attention...but mostly of the 'ahhh, aren't they cute kind'...hardly anything to worry about...

We just taught our kids to ask before they eat anything that someone gives them...and they are young...4 and 2 so we are close enough usually to monitor what people give them...the biggest culprit unfortunately is their grandmother...so there is not much we can do about that...

You do have to watch your kids...plenty of dangers around...

[jade]

There is an international playgroup at the babtist church near Itaewon, Tuesdays and Thursdays, from 10am -11.30am. Havn't been myself yet, I am planning on going with my 14th month old on Thursday, but I have heard it is quite good and mostly expat children. There is also Kinder Kids in Hanamm-dong. They take them from 13 months up to 5years I think, also supposed to be good and lots of expat kids. The timings are from 9am until midday and they charge 30,000 per day. If you need to know anything else just pm me.

[Priya]

Hi everyone. I too am looking for a playgroup/activities for my 23 month old daughter. I want to find a daycare/preschool for her, and would love some ideas on that. I don't have a car and live in the Namsan Town Apt. complex near the Yaksu subway station. I've been considering putting her into a Korean center, just so she can pick up the language since she is so young. Thoughts?

Jade, if you would let us know how the international playgroup at the baptist church is, that would be wonderful. I would go as well to check it out, but I'm going to the PTA meeting at my older one's school on Thursday morning.

I will also PM you for more info on the Kinder Kid school.

I also have a 5 1/2 year old daughter who is in Kindergarten at Franciscan School in Hannam-dong and she loves it there. She just started there last week, riding the bus and generally happy to be in school and making friends again (we just moved to Seoul at the end of June). She's in school until 2:30pm, which leaves me with my younger one. So, if anyone has that age children, and would like to get to know other English-speaking families, PM me. I need some friends as well!