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Tuesday, September 15, 2009
hoi-ku-en
Yesterday Mayra started hoikuen (daycare). Hibiya Kids Park is where she will be going 2 days a week from October, allowing me to get back to work again (part-time). Or if there is no work out there --the crisis is noticeable in Tokyo as well-- then I have more time to myself to go swimming, clean the house and finally sort out all the piles of paper and stuff that are filling up our apartment. As long as they don’t shout at her, Mayra loves hanging out with other kids, so it’ll be good for her too.
I am really grateful that my girl has been at home with me until now and am still totally enjoying the fulltime ‘non-paid’ job of being a mum. When I was still pregnant I thought I would go back to work sooner but that didn’t happen, and I haven’t missed working for one bit. Instead I’ve been able to witness Mayra grow and develop, and am getting paid in hugs and many toothless smiles. I feel for the mothers (and fathers) who have no choice but to go back to work after 3 months (or sooner), with no option but to leave their little one behind all day. ARGH!…
Hibiya Kids Park is the hoikuen in Shinsei Bank, Manuel’s employer. Lucky us, because it’s already part of his package--until March 2010 anyway: we just found out that this benefit will be scraped. We yet have to figure out what to do next year. It’s really hard to get a spot in the government-supported kinder gardens, and the private ones are seriously expensive. For me I don’t see the point of working if those earnings are more or less going to even out the cost of daycare. Staying in the work-loop would be good for career development, but right now I care more for my family than for my career. Anyway, we’ll see.
Kids Park is a place with positive atmosphere; nice, bright, clean and spacious. Kids can easily play, sleep and eat. There is a space to shower and change nappies, a special lavatory with mini toilets and mini wash basins, and there is even a breastfeeding room. And Hibiya Park nearby (coincidentally the same park Manuel and I got married!), where they take the kids for walk and play once a day at good weather. There are currently 3 other babies, and about 15 kids between 1~3 years old. Caregiver to child ratio is about 2:4, pretty good!
All is very well organized at the daycare: Mayra has a shoes box, a basket for her daily set of spare clothes, a basket for her other things. All marked with her name and a strawberry which is now her personal icon. They have a little cap for her (all kids wear a cap when they go out), also tagged with her name and the stawberry. This wouldn’t be Japan without strange unbendable rules though...: the hoikuen only accepts disposable nappies (at home we use cloth diapers) with Mayra’s name written on each of them. Also they don’t administer medication, including sunscreen! This sounds a bit extreme and paranoia to me, but then again in this day and age where people sew one another for the smallest thing, I would probably do the same if I were them.
The one rule I really don’t like is that they don’t accept expressed breastmilk (due to hygienic reasons), forcing Mayra to drink formula. I was initially a bit upset when they told us, as I really don’t see why this should be an issue as long as is made sure the breastmilk is cooled, stored and warmed up properly. Daycare centers in the Netherlands do this without problems. Anyway, not ideal but certainly not the end of the world, and at least they have the breastfeeding room so I can nurse her there.
September is training month, meaning Mayra is going there every day, starting with 1 hour, and the next day 1 hour longer until she is used to going all day, from 8am~4pm in her case. Manuel will take her in the morning and I will pick her up in the afternoon. This week I am joining them for the drop-off, and waiting in the cafeteria until I can go and pick her up. Hence I now have time to write all these blog entries!
So far so good. Mayra cries a little when we leave, and also when I pick here up ("HEY, WHERE WERE YOU!!!!"), but other than that she seems to be fine. Sleeps, eats and plays with the other kids. All of them super cute and sweet.
Categories: mayra dilan • daily life • japan
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