Kids in Korea

Korean kids are the cuttest creatures in the world

I was recently thinking a lot about modern obstacles in raising children. One of my best friends is two months pregnant, hence such thoughts.

If I think about providing good conditions and protection to children in modern world, I rather panic. Or I tend to think that if one does not put the wall of extensive personal wealth to make sure that his kid goes to the private school and later private high school where basic security and good psychological guidance is provided, chances of success are lame.

Kids pornography, kid to kid violence, mental and physical abuse, drugs, alcohol, pressure for early sex,  is a disease of modern world. Which parent who needs to work long hours to make ends meet for basic goods like food or cloths can provide guidance and security. Very often even if woman would prefer to stay home and make sure her kids are safe, she can't- she has to provide. She doesn't have time to watch over her kid in the playground and very often her kid gets kidnapped and either raped or used in kids porn business.

All above mentioned problems of so-called public school system are present also in Poland. If some children are victims of abuse noone really cares. No psychologist who sits in his room and doesn't stick nose out neither any blind teacher who walks school corridors and prefers not to see things. Or, very often, is bribed by parents of abusers with a new kitchen device, because teachers salaries are poor.

But there is definately one country I still had seen children playing safe. When I lived in Korea, daughter of my friends, little beautiful Olivia, had always gone alone to the playground and never anything had happened to her. I have seen children playing around and parents normally at home or watching over from the balcony.

I would love to be a mother in Korea.

Yet on the other hand what comes later, is not so fun.

When kid is very small and goes to first grade competition starts. Competition for grades. Every kid has to be the best. Problem is however, they are forbidden asking questions if they don't comprehend something. Their parents do their best to provide extra lessons, as later they aspire their kids to get into best universities both in korea and abroad.

I had often seen sleepwalking girls in short skirts in the middle of winter, at 10 pm going back by subway home from some lessons of math or physics or English.

I feel pity on one hand.

But on the other hand, it would be impossible to leave kid off sight in the West. Kid travelling alone on public transport is not thinkable due to many hazzards. Korea is still country where kids can go alone by subway, by bus, or anyhow alone and nothing hapens to them.

So which is better? This is for every person to judge individually.

 Personally I prefer Asian system of raising kids into responsible hardworking adults who don't steal, don't destroy property, can have fun in non-abusive way.