Happy Children's Day!!!

I am not sure if this is just a Korean thing but on Saturday May 5th it was Children's Day. Basically the concept is you do nice things for you kids. So most Korean children get presents and restaurants are really busy with families eating out. Another key thing is that all over Korea the international community gets to together and hosts International Fairs. Suwon was no different. They held a International Day that attracted over 5000 kids and their families. Our church was asked to have some stalls and I am not how, but I ended up running the Australian stall. So we painted boomerangs and painted faces. I stopped counting at the 400th face! I was amazed at how popular face painting was here - all day the queue was 10 kids deep.

Paul brought the girls down for a couple of hours and it was a good (but hot!) day.

I am constantly amazed at how much Korean society values children and truly panders to them. My kids can go nowhere without getting hugs, kisses or toys from complete strangers. On the whole this society truly fusses over their kids and gives them freedoms beyond their years;

• Children are allowed to stay up as late as they like, because it is their choice.
• It is not unusual to see kids at the shops or at the park at 11pm at night.
• You will always see mother's feeding their kids their food right up to the age of 10.
• If you child is the first born son - he is the most precious possesion and he calls the shots.
• If you get on public transport and it is crowded the older Koreans will put your child on their lap.
• I laugh at the 50 layers the kids are dressed in to go - singlets, thermals, tracksuit, jumper, jacket, beanie and scarf - and my kids are in a jumper and jeans!

I find it so amusing that on one hand Korean children are allowed to go to the shops on the bus by themselves from the age of 6 years, yet on the other hand Korean Mother's still expect the children to drink a minimum of 600mls of mik each day. Children can stay up all night and play video games all weekend, but if they go outside they must have 50 layers on. I am not critisizing as there are some wonderful aspects of the Korean society, I just find it amusing.

One way to keep your baby warm!