Tuesday 30 April 2013

Baby and Kids' Cafes in Korea

Updated 25 June 2017

Thanks to Baby Z in Seoul, Expat Parents Korea!, and Seoul Mom and Kids for this info!

Korea is a great place for kids. I love Korea. It's amazing! It's safe and everyone, old people especially, will tell you how cute (and cold! even in summer old people will tell you how cold your children are!) your children are.

Kids cafes are everywhere. This is not a complete list by any means. There are tons and tons of kids' cafes around Korea. Kids under 12 months are usually free. Many grocery stores like Homeplus and Emart often have a little jungle gym area where you can live kids over the age of 4. If they're under 4 you have to stay with them. These places are usually about 4,000 for two hours.

There are also bigger places that have anything from ball pits, crafts, bubble, trampolines, Wii, merry-go-rounds, trains, sand pits, kitchen sets, blocks, and a whole lot more. Places in Seoul are more expensive and you might end up paying up to 15,000 per kid. Some places will charge the adults and give you a free coffee others will let adults in for free but they have to order something or pay a no-ordering fine which is about 5,000.

Korea Wide
  • List of Kids' Cafes
  • Little Prince-Eorinwangja: A chain of kids café’s in various locations.

Dongtan
  • Pororo Park in Metapolis Mall. Kids: 5,000; Adults: 6,000


Seoul
  • Children’s museum Close to Jamsil area. Near Olympic park, north gate.
  • I Like Dalki in Times Square. Kids: 10,000; Adult: 5,000.
  • Jungle Kids Cafe near Express Bus Terminal Station. More info at Baby Z in Seoul
  • Kids Cafe Jamsil shopping mall, next door to Toys R Us Huge ball pit, sand play, basket ball rings etc. 
  • Kidzania Jamsil Station Exit #4. Kids aged 3-16 on weekdays: 32,000. Weekends: 35,000; Adults on weekdays: 16,000. Weekends: 18,000. Kids under 3 are free.
  • Kidzplanet 6-4 Itaewon-Dong, Yongsan gu, Indoor PE classes (Rollerblading + rock Climbing) Cooking and Science classes. Outdoor play area. Kids can have fun and parents can run errands, shop, or work out in the gym. 
  • Kinderand Line 3: Hwajeong station. This is a large, indoor playground with climbing tubes,ball pits, slides, trampolines and bouncy castle, video games, karaoke room and a movie room, so older siblings could be happy here too. This is a section for younger children with some small slides. There is a food court. 
  • Littland at Shinsegae. More info at Baby Z in Seoul
  • Little Bear in Daechi dong, Songpa dong.
  • Little Orchard in Seocho-gu, Bangbae-Dong, Naebang station line #7.
  • Mickeyland Soongsil University station line #7.
  • Norang Cafe Maebong Station Exit #4. Craft kits: KRW5,000-25,000.
  • Petit 5 at Hangangjin. More info at Baby Z in Seoul
  • Pororo Lounge at Coex. More info at Baby Z in Seoul.
  • Pororo Park D Cube City Mall: 16,000; Adults: 6,000
  • Strawberry/DalkiLand Olympic park, gate 4; Times Square; and many more locations throughout Seoul. 10,000 per child; 5,000 for each parent. 
Suwon


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Tender Embrace Birthing offers childbirth, breastfeeding, and newborn care classes and support.




Saturday 27 April 2013

Permission to Travel with Only One Parent

If you're travelling with a child and only one parent is going, you need a permission letter from the other to prevent child abduction, see HCCH for more info. Some people have taken their kids and never been asked for a permission letter, others have been grilled with questions. Just get one to be on the safe side. If your country is in the Hague Agreement you'll need to get it notarised by a public notary and then apostillised. If you go to a Korean notary, take a google translation with you of the permission letter. If your country isn't in the Hague Agreement, then you might have to get it notarised / legalised at the embassy.

Here are some formats

Example

I, (person not travelling), am the lawful (mother / father / guardian) of (child's name). I declare the following:

Minor child's details: (Child's name) was born on (DOB) in (place). She holds a (name of country) passport with number ______________ valid from __________ to _____________ and issued by ________________.

The aforementioned child has my consent to travel with: (His / her) (mother / father / teacher / etc) (Person's name), was born on (DOB) in (place). She holds a (name of country) passport with number ______________ valid from __________ to _____________ and issued by ________________.

The aforementioned child has my consent to travel on the following flights:
Place, date, flight info
Ex. Seoul, Korea to Los Angeles, USA on date aboard US Airways flight XXXX

Any questions regarding this consent letter can be directed to:
Name of person giving consent
Address
Cell
Email

Person giving consent 
Signature
Name
Date



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Tender Embrace Birthing offers childbirth, breastfeeding, and newborn care classes and support.



Friday 26 April 2013

Useful Phone Numbers and Websites for Families in Korea

Updated 5 July 2014

In Case of Emergency
  • 1339 and 119 and 911 are the emergency numbers. They should put you through to an English speaker right away.
  • Poison Control is 129 for the Korean (English speakers) one and 7917-5545 or 7917-6001 (Yongsan) one.

Migrant Centers
Most big cities have these. They have a variety of services all geared towards helping foreigners. If you have legal issues, they should be able to point you in the right direction. They provide very cheap Korean lessons. I paid 20,000 for a semestre with lessons for 2 hours on Sunday. They also have good resources about that city. They helped me find a daycare as well. They can also help with enrolling in the KIIP programme.
  • Nowon: 02-979-3502 or 02-930-1955
  • Suwon: 031-224-6075 and 031-223-0075 


Phone Numbers and Websites
  • 1330 is the 24-hour tourist hotline. If you're outside of Seoul, just add the city code before you dial. Although it's tourist info, they'll help you in an emergency.
  • Abuse: 129
  • Ambulance: 119
  • Babysitter-korea.com: baby sitters and nannies. 
  • Child Abuse: http://korea1391.org/new_index/ or call 1391
  • Childcare Korea: has a list of all the daycares and openings.
  • Craigslist: Lots of Filipina nannies available.
  • Crime Report: 112
  • Dasan Seoul Call Center: 02-120, then press 9. Then press 1 for English, 2 for Chinese, 3 for Japanese, 4 for Vietnamese, and 5 for Mongolian. They can interpret, give you specific info, tell you about transport, help with driving licenses, help you with complaints, etc.
  • Danori: 02-1577-5432
  • Domestic (and School) Violence Support Center: 117
  • Family Care: (use Internet Explorer) There's a small annual fee to join and you have to speak Korean to use it.
  • Fire Department: 119
  • GenieMom: (use Internet Explorer) In Korean.
  • Immigration: 1345
  • iseoul.seoul.go.kr has all the Seoul daycares and openings
  • Itaewon Global Village: 02-2199-8883, 4, 5 or 02-796-2460
  • KIN (Korea International Nanny) Service: FB group to connect families with English speaking nannies, baby-sitters, maids, domestic helpers, etc.  
  • Labour board: 1350 and 031-259-0203 
  • Legal Aid: 02-350-132
  • Medical Emergency: 1339 or 02-1339
  • Migrant Support: 1644-5432
  • Migrant Women Support: 1577-1366
  • Missing Children: 182
  • Naver Maps: Make sure you search in Korean.
  • Nanny Job: All in Korean, but all the nannies who contacted me through it were Filipina. 
  • Police: 112
  • Poison Control is 129 for the Korean (English speakers) one and 7917-5545 or 7917-6001 (Yongsan) one.
  • Proz.com is a good place to find translators
  • Seoul Global Center: 02-2075-4138 and 02-2075-4130. They have lots of useful info about living in Korea. They can also exchange driver's license for Korean ones for Canadians. 
  • Tourist info: 1330. They're really good at transport and restaurant info. They can also help with interpreting. If you're outside of Seoul, just add the city code before you dial. Although it's tourist info, they'll help you in an emergency.
  • Translation (BBB): 1588-5644. Though I've never been able to speak to anyone. 
  • Ulsan's eFLIK
  • Y Care Help: nannies
  • YWCA: They offer a variety of services. One is cleaning for 4 hours for 35,000 won. They also have nannies.
  • 아기 동보미서비스: (use Internet Explorer) is a government babysitting service. The Seoul Global Center should help you with it. It cost 5,000 won during weekdays and 6,000 won on weekends, holidays, and overnight.
  • Local Migrant Centers 
  • Local Community Centers 


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Tender Embrace Birthing offers childbirth, breastfeeding, and newborn care classes and support.




Wednesday 24 April 2013

Free Children and Baby Stuff in Korea

Updated 25 November 2015

Check out my newest article on how to get free stuff!

Because Korea has such a transient community and kids grow out of clothes and toys so quickly, it's fairly easy to find cheap or even free items. I am all about getting hand-me-downs or stuff for free. It keeps things out of landfills and teaches children that they don't need to buy stuff all the time.


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Tender Embrace Birthing offers childbirth, breastfeeding, and newborn care classes and support.




Tuesday 23 April 2013

Legal Advice in Korea

Updated 19 March 2014

Here are some places you can go to get legal advice. Keep in mind that lawyers are often expensive. Try to gather as much evidence as you can so that your lawyer has to do less work and doesn't have to charge you loads.


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Tender Embrace Birthing offers childbirth, breastfeeding, and newborn care classes and support.




Monday 22 April 2013

Healthcare, GoEun Mom Card, and Vaccinations in Korea

Updated 6 September 2017

Healthcare Information 
National Health Insurance (use Internet Explorer): 1577-1000 and 02-390-2000

GoEunMom Card 
Pregnant moms enrolled in national health insurance qualify for pre-natal checkup discounts up to a limit of 500,000 (60,000 limit KRW per visit). You can also use whatever is left on the card for the birth itself. You'll have to get a note from your doctor and take it to Shinhan or KB bank. You must have an account at one of those banks in order to get the card. You'll receive it in the mail a couple days later. If you don't use all the money before the baby is born you have until 60 (I think) days to use it after the baby is born to pay for baby related doctor visits and shots. More information here.

30 Day Grace Period
Baby's are given a 30 day (some places only give 28 days) grace period to get their paperwork in order and get insurance. If you're both foreigners it might be hard to get your baby's foreign birth cert, passport, and ARC all in that short amount of time. No worries, pay out of pocket and you'll be refunded once your baby gets an ARC.

If you don't want to wait, go to your local NIHC office and explain that it takes foreigners a longer time than Koreans to get all their paperwork and ask if they can add you now. Be aware that when you go to medical centers and your baby doesn't have an ARC, even if the NIHC has added you you're going to have to have the medical center call NIHC and confirm that you added your baby.

Vaccinations are not required to visit, live, work, or study in Korea. They are not required for daycare, kindergarten, regular school, or university.You can find out more at this link. Below is the Korean vaccination schedule. The Vaccine Book has loads of info about the different types of shots and The Vaccine-Friendly Plan has alternative schedules.

Vaccination schedule
  • Week 1: Hep B 
  • 0~4 weeks: BCG 1 month: Hep B 
  • 2 months: DTaP, Polio, Hib, PCV (Pneumococcal), Rotavirus 
  • 4 months: DTaP, Polio, Hib, PCV (Pneumococcal), Rotavirus 
  • 6 months: Hep B, DTaP, Polio, Hib, PCV (Pneumococcal), Rotavirus 
  • after 6 months: influenza, once a year 
  • 12~15 months: chickenpox, MMR, Hib, PCV (Pneumococcal) 
  • 12~23 months: Japanese encephalitis, Hep A 
  • 15~18 months: DTap 
  • 2 years: Japanese encephalitis 
  • 4~6 years: DTap, Polio, MMR 
  • 6 years: Japanese Encephalitis 
  • 11~12 years: Td (dyptheria & tetanus); HPV 1
Free gu vaccinations for those with insurance
Babies are able to get some free vaccination from their local-gu healthcare center or local hospitals/clinics if they have their ARC and are enrolled with the NHIC.In order to register them either go to your local NHIC office or ask your employer to help. You will need your baby's ARC, passport, and birth cert. 

  • BCG 
  • B형 
  • DTap 
  • 소아마피 polio 
  • 수두 Chicken pox 
  • MMR 일본 뇌염 
  • Japanese encephalitis 

Notes
  • If you have to pay, Hep B, BCG (the government subsidised one, which leave a little scar), DTap and Polio should roughly cost about 10,000-30,000 per shot. 
  • Hib B, PCV and Rotavirus are not covered by the government. 
  • Hib B will cost you about 40,000. 
  • PCV and Rotavirus about 100,000~150,000 depending on the type. There are two types of PCV available in Korea, one that covers 10 and one that covers 13. There are two types of Rotavirus vaccinations, one that has 3 dosages (about 100,000) and another, 2 dosages (about 130,000 per dosage). 
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Sunday 21 April 2013

English Kindergartens in Korea

You might also want to read about daycare and childcare in Korea. I personally, love Korea, but I know not everyone does. Be aware, that Korean culture maybe different than what you are used to. For example, kids take naps on the floor. You'll have to learn how to adapt or find other options. This info is geared towards Seoul and Gyeonggi-do. Check with your local kindergartens to see if they have other options.

Costs
An example of the costs involved: besides the monthly tuition which includes daily lunch and bus service, there is a 200,000 won supplies/materials fee twice a year. This covers all the books and materials, uniforms, and other supplies. Most families pay a one-time enrollment fee over 100,000 won schools may waive this for us as well. Monthly field trips range from 10,000 to 25,000 won.  

Curriculum
Among the regular experiences included are daily English literacy and basic math skills, weekly science labs, story and song times, weekly Taekwondo classes at another nearby school, and monthly Cooking Days (send an apron and plastic container on those days). Birthdays are celebrated with great fanfare, but the students make cards for their classmates at school and parents are asked not to send anything extra.

Drop-Off Service
Available on Saturdays as well. Actually, they said 24/7, but I'm not sure about that. It's a Russian kindergarten, so it's European style and not Asian style. They cook porridge and sleep in beds rather than on mats on the floor. Yongsan-gu, Itaewon-dong 75-11, near the gu office. 5000 won an hour. They serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner. They say that they have an English speaker three days a week. 02-454-3418

Enrollment
The time frame for enrollment is often a bit earlier - around November or December for March 1 start.  

English Kindergartens
Local Korean-run kindergartens are likely most affordable and English kindergartens are more expensive. They usually start around 600,000 won a month. (ONE English in Suwon is has great scholarships for English speaking kids) You may be able to get a discount because the school can feature a native speaker in their program. This is fairly common in hagwon kindergartens, so you might consider comparing this option against regular Korean Kindergartens for cost and convenience. It may end up being the most cost-effective option and easiest to manage, due to the fact that the entire staff speaks English, half are native speakers, and they gladly translate all materials for you.  



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Friday 19 April 2013

Apostillisations and Notarisations in Korea

You can get documents notarised and apostillised and they'll be recognised in countries that are in the Hague Agreement. Canada is NOT. So if you need to use a document in Canada, check with the embassy.

Apostillisations
It's the building at the bottom of this map (you have to open the webpage in Internet Explorer). It's on the 4th floor. Google translates translates it as "Passport-related services: 80 Susong-dong, Jongno-gu korianri passport Reinsurance Building, 4th Floor."

You need to go to this building, "Passport. Line 5 Gwanghwamun Station, Exit 2. Line 3, Exit 6 of Anguk direction (Jongno District Office located across from the back door) Emigration and passport with Apostille office also is in the same layer"

It cost 1000 won and depending on what time you go, you may get your documents back the same day or you may have to wait until the next day. I highly recommend making a day of it and seeing all the sites nearby.

Notarisations
To get a doc notarised, you'll need a google translation of the document in Korean, your ARC, and your passport. It costs about 25,000 to 50,000 won for a notarisation and you can get it back the same day.



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Tender Embrace Birthing offers childbirth, breastfeeding, and newborn care classes and support.



Tuesday 16 April 2013

Where to Buy Nursing Bras in Korea

Updated 23 May 2016

The following places in Korea have maternity and nursing bras
Shopping Online
You can buy them online from your favorite stores back home and have them shipped here. Most of the place below will ship to Korea, however, if they don't, people have had their parents or friends repackage the items and send them here.

Keep in mind that items under $200 (including shipping) aren't taxed. Anything over that will be. Though some people get friends of family to repackage them and ship them  to Korea when they are over $200 and they haven't had any issues.

How to measure 
Most women wear the wrong bra size because they're still adding 4 or 5 inches. Most of us are wearing at least one band size too big and one cup size too small. Keep in mind that your boobies change throughout your pregnancy and after giving birth so you should measure again before buying new bras. Maternity and nursing bras usually come without underwire since it can do more harm than good while you're pregnant or nursing, though many women go back to bras with underwires after 3-6 months after giving birth.

Here's a video that explains how to measure. 
They also have a bra size calculator (click on the top British flag to get it into English) Other people have other ways of measuring. They say that the best way to measure is to measure under your boobs. Then lie down or lean over and measure across the fullest part. Standing up and measuring across the fullest part doesn't work well since gravity is working against you and since many women wear the wrong bra anyways, it gives them the wrong size.

Bra size calculators 
Don't be surprised when you find out your cup size is larger than you thought. Some people think that measuring doesn't help at all, and rather you should just try on a whole bunch of bras, but that can be complicated when most stores only carry up to a D cup. 
Does your bra fit well? 
Bratabase has over 10,000 measurements which is especially helpful since different manufactures use different letters for cups sizes. Once you figure out the measurements of a bra that fits you it makes it much easier to buy bras. Also, EU, UK, and US have different letters for the same cups. If the center gore (the middle of your bra) isn't flush against your skin you should go up a cup size or two, not up a band size.

Bra Size Comparison Charts
Here are some comparison charts for different brands 
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Wednesday 10 April 2013

Daycare and Childcare in Korea

Updated: 19 October 2017

I wrote a post about nannies, babysitters, and maids in Korea that has lots of useful info. There's a Facebook group called Daycare centers in Korea (Orinijib) that can help as well. You might also want to read about kindergartens in Korea. The book, Child Care, has loads of info on how to choose the best child care provider. The foreigner helpline for daycares is 1566-0223.

Some of the information below was taken from AFIK and EPK!

Childcare at work 
If you work at a kindergarten, they might let you enroll your child for free or give you a discount. Some universities might have daycares or kindergartens attached and often gives their employees discounts. It's usually just a kindergarten, not a daycare, so your child will usually have to be 4 or 5.

Tips for Finding a Daycare 
Start Early! Daycare is now basically free for Koreans so there can be huge waiting lists. The good news is that there are a lot of daycares. Usually there are a couple of daycares per apartment complex and there are also bigger, stand-alone daycares.

Be persistent! Some places will refuse to take your child because you or your child don't speak Korean. I was rejected by about 2 dozen daycares because of this. It can be hard and I was in tears as I went daycare to daycare with a letter in Korean asking them to take my daughter. I finally found a fantastic daycare that didn't care that we didn't speak Korean.

Honestly, in this day and age with smart phones and live translators at the touch of a button having a daycare tell you that you need to speak Korean is idiotic. I gave them a number of a friend who speaks Korean in case of emergencies. All the info they send home is in Korean, except they use their phones to translate and write in English in my daughter's take home book that says what she does every day. I, in turn, use my phone to write in Korean when necessary. A lot of places are starting to use apps instead of books. Mine uses KidsNote (키즈노트). It's great! They can upload photos, videos, handouts, etc.

Go in person! Walk around the neighborhood and visit daycares. See if you like what they have to offer. Mine is a small daycare inside an apartment complex, but there are 3 middle aged women there who are great with kids and no more than 10 kids there.

What to Expect from Daycares 
  • Calendar "red days" usually mean no daycare.There may be other holidays the daycare closes (Labor Day, for example). They will send a notice so keep an eye out.
  • If your child is in diapers you will need to send wipes and diapers. They'll probably send you a notice when they are running low. 
  • You will have to provide things such as an extra change of clothes, tissues, toothbrush, towel, etc. 
  • Extra "classes" like P.E., English, Cooking, Music, Art, Paper Folding, Hangeul, Science, Math Games (such as Gabe), Morphun (a really cool Lego-like block), ballet, taekwondo, etc. Fees are usually charged twice a year. Mandatory "English" classes, which is usually about 20,000 a month.
  • They will wear their uniform (제복) on designated days, plus all field trips. 
  • Many places may have a website and a daily report of some sort to track eating/pooping for the day. Ours has a booklet with spots for snack 1, lunch, snack 2, temperature, pee/poop and if they are given medicine and how much. Be clear with them on your personal policies about giving medicine. 
  • Monthly birthday parties. If your child's classmate has a birthday send a small gift on the day. They'll send a notice prior about 생일 (saeng il) birthday, 선물 (seonmul) gift and price limits (1,000-2,000). Stickers are good gifts. 
  • Try to learn the phrases they will need. 이리와 (illyowa) come here. 정리주세요(cheongri juseyo) please clean up. 앉으세요(anchu seyo) please sit down.
Types of Daycares
  • There are special nurseries called nori bang (놀이방) for babies. Some will accept babies as young as one month. 
  • Olini jip (어린이집) usually accept kids as young as 100 days, though many want the baby to be at least a year. These can go up to 3 or 5 years (Western). Ask your daycare/nursery what their cut-off is.
  • Yuchiwon (유치원) is what we'd call a full-time pre-school or kindergarten. Yuchiwons may be hard to get into. The popular ones have a raffle to see who will get in. Some places have 8 spots and 100 kids who want to get in.Some yuchiwons start later and finish earlier than olini jips and you may have to pay extra if you want your child to stay longer.
  • Byeongseol yuchiwon (병설 유치원) are kindergartens attached to elementary schools. Kids are usually 4-5 years old (Western).
Since you're a foreigner you will get extra points and should jump to the top of the list (though some yuchiwons don't so this). The waiting list isn't first come first serve, it's due to points. You get something like 100 extra points if you're a foreigner. If both parents work or if you can prove you're a single parent (divorce cert or letter from your ex) you get more points.

Accreditation
There are different types. Some may be accredited by the Korean Childcare Accreditation Association. Others might just be accredited by the gu it's in. Trust your gut and look around, don't just go by awards.

What to Look For
Baby Center has info about signs of a good daycare and signs of a bad daycare, as well as how to find a good daycare. There are also a number of books on how to choose a good daycare. Here are some questions you might want to ask.
  • Are there any openings? Can I be put on a waiting list?
  • How many kids are in the daycare? In my child's class?
  • How many teachers are there? Are they full-time teachers?
  • What do I have to bring? ex. extra clothes, towel, etc.
  • Can I bring my child if she has a slight fever, runny nose, cough, etc? Will you give her medicine if she's sick? Many places will give a child medicine without asking you. I personally don't mind, but let the daycare know if you do.
  • What kind of discipline is used?
  • What do you open and close?
  • Are there any vacations or holidays?
  • Are there any special classes on top of the regular fee?

Other Things to Look for When You Visit
  • You should also see that the teachers are presentable (many wear aprons) and happy. They shouldn't clean up after them or yell at them. 
  • The kids should be happy as well. Check to see if the kids are sick or not, though keep in mind that they are kids and kids seem to get sick a lot. I know that other parents at my daycare send their kids if they've got a runny nose, so I do the same!
  • See if it's clean and that the toys are clean. Each child should have their own towel and tooth brush. They should have signs about hand washing. There should be soap.
  • Make sure it's safe: the kitchen should be blocked off, there should be fire extinguishers, a fire escape (usually a slide) if it's not on the first floor, gates should be put up if there are stairs, a screen should be placed on the door, school buses should have seat belts which kids should actually wear, etc.
  • Ask for the menu to see if they're eating healthily and aren't given choking hazards. Some places give out candy, so let them know if you don't want them to give your kid candy.
  • Do NOT go to a daycare that states that you have to pay a foreigner price! The government covers part of the fees for everyone who is in Korea legally! That means Koreans and people who have ARCs. Check the fees and do not pay more that when you are legally required to pay. When in doubt call the gu office, Seoul Global Center, Legal Aid, etc.
Drop-Off Daycare
This is available on Saturdays as well. Actually, they said 24/7, so your child could sleep there. It's a Russian kindergarten, so it's European style and not Asian style. They cook porridge and sleep in beds rather than on mats on the floor. Yongsan-gu, Itaewon-dong 75-11, near the gu office. 5000 won an hour. They serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner. They say that they have an English speaker three days a week. 02-454-3418

Fees 
Registration fee (varies from 50,000 - 250,000) which includes uniform (worn on field trips), backpack and lunch box. 

The government pays most of the fees for Korean children. For children under 12 months, the total fees are 394,000. If she were Korean, the government would pay 361,000 and you'd only have to pay 33,000. Many daycares don't realise that non-Korean children don't get this money from the government and will insist you get an Ai-ee-rang card. You can't get it. Don't even try. Have a Korean explain this to them if they don't understand. You will have to pay the whole fee a couple days before the end of the month. Most places will accept credit cards or bank transfers.

Some places give discounts if your child is only there for half the day. Most daycares are open 10-12 hours. Ask your daycare what their hours are.

Fees stay the same from the whole school year. So whatever you're paying in March that's what you'll pay until the end of next February. So, if your child was born in the spring, you might want them to "skip" a grade so that you can pay less. The ages below are Western.
  • 12 months and under: 394,000 a month 
  • 13-23 months: 347,000 a month 
  • 24-35 months: 246,000 a month
  • Yuchiwons and byeongseol yuchiwon range from 50,000-500,000 a month

Places that Can Help You 
  • Babysitter-korea.com: baby sitters and nannies. 
  • Childcare Korea: has a list of all the daycares and openings.
  • Craigslist: Lots of Filipina nannies available.
  • Family Care: (use Internet Explorer) There's a small annual fee to join and you have to speak Korean to use it.
  • iSeoul: has a list of all the daycares and openings.
  • GenieMom: (use Internet Explorer) In Korean.
  • Gwangju and Jeollanamdo Nanny, Babysitter and Domestic Help Group: FB group designed to connect families with English speaking nannies, baby-sitters, maids, domestic helpers, etc. 
  • KIN (Korea International Nanny) Service: FB group to connect families with English speaking nannies, baby-sitters, maids, domestic helpers, etc. 
  • Naver Maps: Make sure you search in Korean.
  • Nanny Job: All in Korean, but all the nannies who contacted me through it were Filipina. 
  • Seoul Global Center (02-2075-4138) 
  • Y Care Help: nannies
  • YWCA: They offer a variety of services. One is cleaning for 4 hours for 35,000 won. They also have nannies.
  • 아기 동보미서비스 aka idolbom. (Use Internet Explorer) This is a government babysitting service. The Seoul Global Center should help you with it. It cost 5,000 won during weekdays and 6,000 won on weekends, holidays, and overnight.
  • Local Migrant Centers 
  • Local Community Centers 


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Tender Embrace Birthing offers childbirth, breastfeeding, and newborn care classes and support.




Privacy Policy and FTC Disclosure

Please read Tender Embrace Birthing's Privacy Policy and FTC Disclosure

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