Why Korean Children Are Surprisingly Polite
Why Korean Children Are Surprisingly Polite
How Korean Toddlers Grow Up With Grandparents, Daycare, and Manners Education
“Pretty Lee Hyewon”
My wife and I always call our little grandniece, “Pretty Lee Hyewon.”
Her real name is simply “Lee Hyewon.”
But after years of calling her “Pretty Lee Hyewon,” something interesting happened.
Whenever we called her that way, she reacted much faster and smiled much bigger than when we simply called her by her name.
Her parents both worked full-time jobs, so until she turned three years old, we took care of her at our home.
In Korea, grandparents often help raise children while parents work.
Many Korean children spend much of their early childhood with grandparents.
Hyewon also grew up mostly through home childcare during her early years.
The Baby Who Crawled Backward
When Hyewon first learned how to crawl, she crawled backward instead of forward.
Nobody knew why.
When she became one year old, she finally stood up for the first time while holding onto the sofa.
She loved people.
Whenever she saw someone, she smiled brightly, walked toward them, fell down, stood up again, and kept trying repeatedly.
Hyewon drank a lot of milk, moved constantly, and grew larger than most children her age.
The doctor laughed and said:
“She eats very well. She may become overweight.
Just make sure she plays a lot.”
And she certainly did.
A Korean Grandmother’s Daily Life
My wife’s entire day revolved around Hyewon.
Holding her.
Carrying her on her back when she cried.
Heating baby food.
Feeding her milk.
Playing with her.
Changing diapers.
Bathing her.
When Hyewon finally returned home in the evening, my wife became completely exhausted.
The only break she had was during Hyewon’s two-hour nap time.
Sometimes my wife rested beside her for a short while.
Sometimes she used the time to finish delayed housework.
When Hyewon woke up from her nap, she quickly drank an entire bottle of milk while breathing heavily with excitement.
Then her energetic playtime immediately began again.
“Pretty Lee Hyewon” Exploring the Entire House
Hyewon wandered throughout the entire house pulling things out everywhere she went.
She opened drawers, shoe cabinets, and kitchen cabinets.
She took out every toy she owned and scattered everything across the house.
When she became tired of indoor play, she insisted on going outside.
My wife placed her in a stroller and took her to the nearby stream, flower garden, or playground near our apartment.
They usually stayed outside for one to one and a half hours.
When Hyewon’s eyes slowly became sleepy, my wife brought her back home and let her take another short nap.
This second nap happened simply because she spent too much energy playing.
When she slept, she looked exactly like an angel.
Of course, nobody knew whether she would still become an angel after growing up, but at that time, everyone believed she would.
“Pretty Lee Hyewon” Finally Went to Preschool
As soon as Hyewon turned four years old, she started attending a Korean daycare preschool.
My wife drove her there every morning before 9:30 AM and picked her up again around 3 PM.
Afterward, Hyewon stayed at our home until around 6 PM before returning home.
A typical preschool day in Korea includes:
“Greeting teachers and classmates health condition checks free play block play art activities pretend play daily outdoor activities lunch and nap time special activities such as English and physical education and organizing daily reports for parents”
In Korea, early childhood education is fully government-supported and essentially free.
The curriculum is also very similar across most daycare centers.
Most Korean families today have only one or two children, so children often receive extremely attentive care.
In many daycare classrooms, around ten children are supervised by two or more teachers.
Something Unique About Korean Daycare Centers
There is a unique culture found in Korean daycare centers.
Teachers take photos and videos of children’s daily activities and send them to parents every day through smartphone apps and social media.
Parents can also watch their children in real time through CCTV cameras if they want.
Parents may feel reassured by this system.
However, from another perspective, it sometimes feels as if teachers have become servants of social media under the name of education.
Teachers already have the responsibility of educating children, yet they must also constantly record videos and send updates to parents every day.
If a child becomes slightly sick or shows any unusual symptoms, teachers immediately call the parents and explain the situation.
Because Korea has one of the world’s lowest birth rates, daycare centers compete intensely to attract children.
As a result, many daycare centers provide excessive services to parents even when they do not want to.
How Korean Children Learn Manners
Since children are still very young, teachers focus heavily on basic life habits such as washing hands, brushing teeth, greeting others politely, and getting along well with friends.
Korean daycare centers especially spend a great deal of time teaching manners and greetings.
Teachers politely bow to children with their hands folded in front, and children naturally imitate them, learning this respectful behavior as a daily habit., and children naturally imitate them and learn the same behavior as a habit.
Perhaps this is one reason many Korean children are considered polite.
Most Korean children grow up learning Korean-style manners both at home and in daycare centers.
Hyewon also changed noticeably after attending daycare.
She washed her hands more carefully, tried brushing her teeth by herself, and became less picky about food.
Our family simply felt grateful to the teachers who taught such young children with such sincerity and patience.
"In Korea, it takes a whole village—especially grandparents and dedicated teachers—to raise a child with manners. What does early childhood education look like in your country? Do your grandparents help with childcare as well? I’d love to hear your stories in the comments!"
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