What Is Parents’ Day Like With a Talkative Little Grandniece?
Parents’ Day Special
What Is Parents’ Day Like With a Talkative Little Grandniece?
“Pretty Lee Hye-won”
Whenever I call my grandniece, there is always one word attached to her name.
“Pretty Lee Hye-won.”
By now, you may have guessed that this little lady is five years old and a girl.
Even now, she probably thinks her real name is actually “Pretty Lee Hye-won.”
Because both of her parents work full-time jobs, we practically raised her in our home from the time she was one year old until she turned three.
Early every morning, her parents would bring her to our apartment before going to work.
Her mother always arrived carrying diapers, snacks, baby food, and extra clothes.
My wife took care of her throughout the day.
My wife and I still do not have biological grandchildren of our own, so this tiny little girl became almost like our very first granddaughter.
We adored her beyond words.
Her own grandparents were also working, so they did not have enough time to care for her regularly.
That is why she spent so much time with us.
I still remember clearly when she crawled around wearing diapers and the moment she first stood up on her own two feet.
When she began babbling her very first words, we were overjoyed.
Korea’s Free Childcare and Kindergarten System
When she turned four, she began attending daycare.
Now that she is five, she attends kindergarten.
In Korea, children usually attend daycare from ages two to four and then move on to kindergarten starting at age five.
Tuition is completely free because the government covers the cost.
The daycare and kindergarten facilities are surprisingly good.
Most teachers graduate from college and must earn professional certifications before becoming childcare teachers.
Seeing Her Only Once a Month
Two years ago, we moved from Seoul to Yangju.
Since then, we only get to see this adorable little girl about once a month.
Whenever she visits our home, she usually stays for one or two nights.
She often arrives on Friday afternoon and returns home on Saturday night or Sunday afternoon when her mother comes to pick her up.
Whenever it is time for her to leave, she cries loudly and says she wants to stay longer instead of going home.
The entire apartment building could probably hear her crying.
We calm her down by making the same promise every time:
“We’ll see you again next week.”
Of course, it is usually just a comforting lie to help her feel better before she leaves.
Her Daily Schedule: Playing From Morning Until Night
Her “working hours” begin at 7 AM and do not end until 10 PM.
Her only job is playing.
She repeats the same activities over and over:
“Catch me if you can,”
going to pork cutlet restaurants,
drawing pictures,
origami,
playing at the playground,
and trying to catch fish in the nearby stream.
At her own house, she normally goes to sleep around 9 PM.
But whenever she stays with us, she refuses to sleep even at 10 PM because she wants to keep playing.
At exactly 7 AM every morning, she wakes me up and begs me to take her to the playground.
After spending about an hour there, we walk together to the small stream beside our apartment.
She sits on the stepping stones holding a tiny fishing net and tries very hard to catch fish.
But the fish are always too fast.
Just like always, we return home empty-handed.
I ask her,
“Why couldn’t we catch any fish today?”
She answers,
“Because they’re too fast.”
Then I ask again,
“So how can we catch them?”
She replies confidently,
“We just have to become faster!”
I smile and say,
“That’s right. Or maybe we should try again on a very hot day when the fish move more slowly, like last time.”
She nods excitedly and says,
“Okay!”
Then we promise to try again tomorrow and head back home together.
The Little Girl Who Became Better Than Me at Origami
After eating, she always wants to do origami together.
We watch YouTube videos and fold paper airplanes, rabbits, dinosaurs, penguins, and boats together.
Now she is actually better than I am at origami.
Sometimes she even teaches me.
After origami, she asks me to draw pictures with her.
As she draws, she explains every single detail out loud.
Sometimes it feels as though she is drawing with words instead of crayons.
When she finishes, she proudly asks me to hang her artwork on the living room wall.
Our living room has now become a small art gallery just for her.
The Real Meaning of Carnations on Parents’ Day
Every Parents’ Day, this little girl and her mother visit our home.
In her tiny hands, she carries handmade drawings, real carnations, and paper carnations she made herself.
Then she bows politely to my wife and me and says,
“Grandma, Grandpa, thank you for raising me.”
It is an emotional moment every single time.
She is so unbelievably lovable that we hug her tightly.
We reply,
“Thank you. Thank you. Our pretty Hye-won is becoming even prettier.”
The Real Carnation
Honestly, the carnations she brings us are not the most meaningful gift.
The fact that she visits us once a month and lets us see her face—that itself is the real carnation for my wife and me.
I wonder how grandparents and grandchildren spend Mother’s Day in America.
I would love to know.
"In Korea, we celebrate both parents on May 8th, but for us, the best gift isn't the flower—it's the laughter of our grandniece. In the U.S., you have separate days for Mom and Dad; how do you celebrate them with your grandchildren? Do you also have a 'living room gallery' filled with their drawings? I’d love to read your stories in the comments!"
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