Life at Japanese Public Daycare (Hoikuen)

Researched By Cornelia [8 June 2001]

This page will encompass about a one year experience at hoikuen, with lots of
added details. It is by no means complete at this time and I really hope that
others of you out there will feel free to contribute at any time. I've set myself
the goal of putting in something every month roughly in chronological order.

I'll be writing primarily about my experience at a hoikuen in Bunkyo ward,

Tokyo City. I will happily include examples from elsewhere when I receive information from other
parents.
Applying for Entry:

The Japanese day care year runs on the same schedule as the school year, that is from April 1 through
March 31. As a rule applications are accepted from about January and decisions are made by early or
mid-March. There are circumstances in which applications are accepted mid-year. Public daycare
systems are administered by local governments so the services differ from community to community. In
Tokyo, pregnant women are entitled to put their older children under age six into public daycare for the
last 4 months of their pregnancy and another 4 months after the birth of the newborn, provided there is
space available and need. There are also supposed to be ways to get your newborn in mid-year,
provided space is available. I have not heard of anyone successfully doing so. If someone has, PLEASE
let me know by writing me directly.
Day Care Hours:

Japanese public daycare hours vary. In Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, the earliest time for children to arrive is
7:15. All children are expected to be there by 9:30. If your child arrives later, he or she may miss an
outing called an osampo. If it is raining you don't have to worry about that.

All children are to be picked up by 18:15. However, there is an extended care program (enchoban) until
19:00 which costs an additional 10% of your assessed fee (which is weighted according to your
income). The first two years that I was participating, the pick-up time was 18:00, so there are minor
changes from year to year. (Vocabulary: hayaban = early shift, osoban = late shift)

Saturday care is also available and included in your monthly fee, but not all Saturdays are fully
available. For example, twice a year fumigation takes place on Saturdays so there is no child care on
those days. Generally, Saturday care does not extend much past 5:30 pm. I'm not sure if this is official
or an unspoken courtesy to the daycare staff.

NOTE: the private day cares will not have exactly the same hours as the government operated day care
centers.
General Description:

As in Japanese elementary school and kindergarten, each age group in the hoikuen has a name. At my
hoikuen the babies are in "Dream" class (Yume - maximum number 10). The one and two year olds are
in Tsukushi and Tampopo (Dandelion - maximum number about 16) classes. The three younger classes
are on the second floor with a gate at the top of the stairs and an air conditioner in each room. There is
a large hallway and a common space as well as a large open toilet room with toddler sized toilets and
two urinals. This makes toilet training pretty easy since the caretakers can observe more than one child
at a time and the children learn very quickly immitating each other. Each room has child sized wash
basins at toddler height. There is also a fair sized veranda with a tall wrought iron fence painted a
neutral color.

On the ground floor are the Risu, Kuma and Mori (Squirrel, Bear and Forest) classes as well as a large
common room, toilet room with urinals and toilet stalls with doors, the kitchen, the entrance way and
the staff office. The rooms for the older children are about half the size of the rooms for the younger
children, and the maximum number of children per class is increased to about 18.
Food and Nap Time:

Meals are prepared by the cooks and are basically very healthy with portions of vegetables, a meat
(generally fish or chicken), often noodles or bread instead of rice, miso soup and milk. The day's meal
and afternoon snack can be seen in a glass case in the entrance way when the children are retrieved at
the end of the day. There is also a monthly menu included in the monthly newsletter. Parents only
supply a lunch box on scheduled picnic days, which only applies to the oldest three classes.

The Dream class receives their food first at 10:30. When they are still tiny they get formula or pumped
breast milk from the freezer (supplied by mother) and they receive this again after their nap. Their diet
is changed according to their age. Then the rest of the upstairs gets their food by about 11:00 am. The
downstairs classes all eat the same thing and pretty much get their lunch by about 11:30. After lunch
there is a diaper/clothes change and cleaning up, and then it is nap time. The caretakers are very patient
and work hard to instill this habit in the kids. The younger kids are allowed to sleep until they wake up
on their own (which can be as long as 3 hours!). The downstairs kids all sleep in the big common room
where the futons are stored. They all awaken after about two hours, and the room, which has ceiling
fans and an air conditioner, is made available again for play.

There is an after nap snack served with a beverage (mugi-cha or milk) and in the hot months there is
water or mugi-cha served in the entrance way for any kids that get thirsty while racing around outside.
Diaper and Toileting Policies:

Diaper policies seem to vary widely across local systems. I've heard of daycares that have a rule to
allow only cloth diapers, for example. In the case of the daycare where my daughter attended, both
cloth and disposables were acceptable. Dirty diapers were collected in a labeled bag provided by Mom
(standard plastic supermarket bag with my daughter's name written on it with magic marker in
katakana) and had to be taken home at the end of the day. This included disposable diapers as well as
cloth diapers.

Toileting was pretty easy going at hoikuen. There wasn't really any pressure to attain a certain level of
skills by a certain age. By and large the kids were all more or less competent at using a toilet by the
time they were in Squirrel class, though they all had accidents time and again, particularly during naps.
Not a problem, since mothers are there for the purpose of washing the futon sheets mid-week and
supplying umpteen changes of clean clothing (never mind that the whole point of having the kid in
daycare is so that mother can hold down a job). A lot of mothers have mentioned to me that they felt
that the demands on mothers were pretty high. In retrospect, I think this was more likely to be heard
from a working first-time mother who ultimately did not realize that, in the first years, child-rearing is a
heap of maid labor, and that the daycare system is not an exact replacement for full-time "mothering".
In other words you are expected to keep up your end of the grunt work regardless of whether or not you
work outside the home.
I nicknamed the place the "Imperial Hoikuen" when I noticed during the first year (age zero) that half
the diapers in the bag at the end of the day were not even wet! The diapers were changed on the hour
every hour regardless of whether or not a change was needed. So was the clothing. At some point I got
smart and switched back to cloth diapers. I also sorted the "dirty clothes" into two piles: "actually dirty"
and "obligatory change". The second pile went back into the backpack for the next day. Age zero class
required 5 clean changes per day (as well as 5 washclothes/oshiburi, 5 gauze clothes, 10 diapers, 2 bibs
with pocket in front, etc., etc.)

Incidentally, I was the only mom who packed all this stuff into a backpack. The bag of choice for the
Japanese moms was a rectangular open canvas or vinyl bag with short handles so it could not even be
slung over a shoulder and definitely did not fit properly into a bicycle basket. This may be because that
was what was described with a small drawing in the list of items to prepare for the first day. So people
just followed instructions. I, on the other hand, was not going to go out and buy a bag when something
I had on hand looked suitable enough for the job. Fortunately, this time I was not gently reminded to
get the item described.
Parental Duties:

You will receive a description (in Japanese) of all the stuff you need to prepare for your child's entry
into daycare, and what is needed on a daily basis. This differs widely across systems and age-groups.
For example, at my public daycare, clothing changes were constant until age 3 when the incessant
"cleanliness" finally slowed down a bit.

You must pay dues to the parents' association (which in my case was Yen 1,500 twice a year).

You are expected to attend certain meetings, basically one meeting with all the parents and the staff for
your child's class which will also be attended by the encho-sensai, the parents association meeting at
least once a year and two "one-on-one" meetings per year with the daycare staff directly responsible for
your child.

Sooner or later you may feel pressure to serve on the parents committee for your child's class. I
volunteered during Squirrel class because I was sure I did not want to end up doing it in the last year
for Mori class. My main duty was to buy and wrap the Christmas presents for the 18 kids in that class. I
managed to get another mother who spoke English to volunteer with me, so I had better than usual
communication.

You will receive papers (in Japanese) on everything with great regularity. These include monthly
newsletters, menus, the odd bits from the daycare staff union, flyers for pertinent performances
(suitable for very young children) taking place at the local city hall, and finally various notices churned
out by the parent's association. I'm probably missing something. In fact, I know I missed a lot, since I
am Japanese illiterate. I often did not find out about something until the day before it was scheduled. In
fact, it was about a year before I found out that so-an-so's mom spoke really great English. After 5
years with the same core group of kids, I finally came to understand that there were at least about 7
moms very fluent in English in my daughter's class. They did a great job of keeping it secret for a long,
long time. Two moms approached me and were helpful from early on, one of whom didn't even have a
kid in the same class. I want to be clear on this, I do not think there was any deliberate plan on their
part to "hide" their ability from me. I think it just never occurred to them that I might be seriously
floundering; or they assumed that I had a Japanese husband who would be helpful, since my daughter
can easily pass for Japanese.

Sample One Year Schedule:

APRIL

In the first week there is the Yuenshiki which could be translated as the Welcoming Celebration for all
newcomers. (Parents need not attend.)

MAY

JUNE

First Saturday of June fumigation takes place so there is no day care available to children. All
possessions are removed from cubby holes and drawers and taken home on Friday.

Also in June, the government sponsored worm test is handed out and parents collect a stool sample at
home. The second test just calls for a pressure imprint around the child's anus two mornings in a row
(this is where some worms lay their minuscule eggs). Return must be punctual since all the samples are
collected only one time to be taken to the lab. A week or so later parents receive the results. Click here
to see the instruction form for Test type one and here to see the instruction form and English translation
for Test type two (for thread worm). The tests have your child's name printed on them in advance to
prevent any mix-ups.

A man shows up one day with piles of bamboo, and over the next 10 days two bamboo shade awnings
are erected, one over the sand box and one over the second floor veranda.

About now, we are asked to bring in two towels, labeled with the child's name. First, a larger one to be
used as the summer blanket during nap time (should be about the same size as the child futon) and,
second, one not too much smaller to be used when the kids get showered off on a particularly hot day.
The weather in June is still variable between 20 and 29 degrees centigrade. You know when your kid
had a mid-day shower, because she will get a clean set of clothes after, meaning your take-home bag
will have extra laundry in it. This also means that you will see mud stains on the clothes because water
is introduced into the sand box and the play yard. Check out the "cleaning page"!

JULY

In this month the swimming pool (about 2 by 3 meters) is opened for the older three age groups. The
younger three age groups get to play in little plastic splash pools up on the balcony of the second floor.
This means that you have to provide a bathing suit and cap daily, as well as the shower towel that you
already started bringing in June. The swimming pool is filled and drained every day so chlorine is not
added (there is already plenty in the city tap water!) The kids LOVE this and I have heard of no serious
accidents. The toddlers are heavily supervised and there is a caretaker in the swimming pool with the
older kids. Each class has to take turns since the pool is so small.

The Tanabata Festival is celebrated early in the month. A bamboo branch is erected in the foyer and
decorated by the children.
Also, the PTA arranges a small summer festival about mid-month always on a Friday which starts at
about 16:00 and ends at 18:00. The parent is supposed to come early (at 4:30) , and accompany the
child through the various activities of the festival. Depending on what the activities are, the time it
takes to complete them varies from year to year. This festival includes invited daycare "alumni" who
are now in elementary school, so the yard can get pretty crowded! If it rains, the festival is set up inside
and activities inappropriate for indoors are dropped from the agenda.

AUGUST

At the end of the month the pool is closed for the season.

SEPTEMBER

There are two holidays in September.

OCTOBER

The first Saturday of October is Sports Day (Undokai). There is no day care available after the
festivities and class photos are taken afterwards. The whole affair is done by noon. Parents are strongly
encouraged to attend, though I did not attend even once until my daughter's 5th year in October of 2001
and it was not so bad. My kid was pleased. Parents who attend are also asked to participate. They will
play at least one game paired off with their child. And there will be one parents only game which will
make their kids laugh.

NOVEMBER

A travelling petting zoo comes for a 2 hour visit before lunch. Animals include white mice, guinea pigs,
chickens, ducks, an American turkey, a goat, rabbits and a dog. The older children remind their parents
to pack a couple of cabbage leaves or carrot sticks the night before. In case of rain, the visit is
resheduled before Christmas.

DECEMBER

A Christmas Party is arranged. The PTA arranges gifts for each child (and pays for it out of the dues
that were previously collected. The child minders will make sure that the gifts get to the kids in a fun
way. Maybe one of them will dress as Santa.

JANUARY

There are a lot of holidays in January so it is a short month! At some

point the travelling laundry truck comes and cleans all the futons and Sotsuenshiki, receiving diploma
blankets right there in the truck! The children are treated to a
traveling puppet show (the troup consisted of a man and three women
who sang songs and manipulated a huge assortment of hand puppets
on 31 Jan. 2002).

FEBRUARY

MARCH
Some time this month the Sotsuenshiki is scheduled which lasts about 2.5 hours. Parents are highly
encouraged to attend. This is the graduation ceremony for the children leaving to start elementay
school, and all the children put on little skits and shows, even the babies who can all walk by now.
Formal class pictures including the parents might be taken depending on what the PTA arranged in
terms of photography. Also this month the 3 oldest classes will probably do one more big outing
together which means that a complicated bento must be arranged by mom or dad.

[Ayahbunda-Online] #####*****RUMAH PENITIPAN ANAK DI SURABAYA*****#####

melly savitri
Fri, 18 Jun 2010 03:25:58 -0700

Ayah dan Bunda, MY HOMMY DAYCARE adalah rumah pengasuhan anak yang
berlokasi di Perumahan Pepelegi Indah Waru, yang mempunyai konsep
memberikan pola asuh yang posiitif atau yang biasa lebih dikenal dengan
POSITIVE PARENTING, dimana pola asuh seperti ini merupakan pola asuh
yang supportif dan konstruktif yang terbukti efektif dalam menanamkan
perilaku baik untuk Ananda. Selain itu, sifat dan perilaku positif juga
akan memberikan vibrasi positif/kebaikan untuk lingkungan sekitarnya.

Bagi Bunda yang kebetulan harus bekerja di luar rumah, kendala

mendapatkan PRT dan juga BS yang dapat dipercaya kadang menjadi
kendala... bersama kami, kami yakin dan optimis bahwa MY HOMMY DAY CARE
akan membantu memberikan solusi yang terbaik.

Selain itu, bersama MY HOMMY DAYCARE , Ananda selain bermain-main, juga

akan belajar bersama; membaca, berhitung, menulis, menggambar,
mewarnai,BAHASA INGGRIS bahkan BAHASA ARAB/IQRA'

Bisa bayangin kan? bergabung bersama MY HOMMY DAY CARE; Ayah Bunda akan
dibantu untuk meringkas masalah pendidikan si kecil. KAMI AKAN MENGASUH,
MENJAGA, MEMBERIKAN PENDIDIKAN PRA SEKOLAH, MEMBERIKA KURSUS
TAMBAHAN
BAHASA INGGRIS, dan JUGA TPA (MENGAJI/IQRA)

Kami yakin Ayah Bunda akan memberikan yang terbaik untuk Ananda.

MyHOMMYDayCare ada di (dekat

MAKRO/LOTTEMart/GIANT Waru)

jl. Sindoro 11
Perumahan Pepelegi Indah
Waru-SURABAYA
http://www.facebook.com/myhommy.daycare
FASILITAS;

• Pengasuh yang sabar dan bersahabat

• Rasio anak dan pengasuh 5;1

• Aktivitas Edukasi prasekolah selama hari pengasuhan

• Belajar bahasa Inggris dan Bahasa Arab (IQRA’)

• Menari, menyanyi, puisi, story telling, fashion show

• Ruang bermain dan belajar yang bersih, nyaman dan bersahabat dengan
lingkungan anak-anak

• Pembelajaran audio visual (TV dan VCD Player)

• Panggung boneka

• Kamar tidur terpisah untuk anak yang sedang dalam keadaan tidak sehat
(batuk/pilek)

• Kamar tidur yang terpisah untuk anak asuh laki2/perempuan

• Perpustakaan

• Permainan edukatif

• Permainan outdoor, olahraga, mengenal alam&lingkungan

• Taman Toga/ Taman edukatif/Berkebun

• Kamar mandi/toilet yang bersih

• Konsultasi psikologi anak/dokter/dokter anak secara periodik

• Makan pagi (khusus paket A) Makan siang dan snack sore

Kegiatan Ananda bersama

MyHOMMYDayCare

PAKET A

06.00 – 08.00

Welcome children, Selamat Datang

Mandi yukk, lalu makan pagi trus bermain

PAKET B

08.00 –9 .00

Welcome Children, Selamat Pagiiii

09.00 – 11.00

Bermain dan belajar pagi

11.00 – 12.00

Makan yuk, isi tenaga..... biar kuat lagi.

12.00 – 14.00

Sikat gigi yukkk setelah makan

Bobok dulu ya... istirahat...

14.00 -

Bangun tidur, segar lagiiiiii....

Mandi dulu aaah biar tambah segar

15.00 – 15.30 Makan snack dulu aahhh...

15.30 – 17.00 Bermain dan belajar sore, biar tambah pinter

17.00 - Bermain menunggu dijemput Mama/Papa

Byee,,,, Have a nice day.

Paket A 06.00 – 18.00

Paket B 08.00 – 18.00

*) Berlaku overtime charge bila terlambat menjemput

INFO; 031-77814402/ 0857 310

66887
(Bunda MELLY)
031-70318179/ (Bunda MARTHA)
Ini Plusnya daycare dari pengalaman pribadi:

1. No TV All day !!!

Ok, that's one thing yg bener2 bikin aku suka banget. Ga ada TV sama sekali. Walaupun educational
CD, tapi kadang2 kita suka keterusan juga ya...tau2 atala seharian aja nonton CD...emang sih, pas
weekend akhirnya dia kayak "balas dendam" gitu, ga bisa liat TV dikit, minta disetel...tinggal emak-
bapaknya yg harus "rajin" maen bareng...kalau lagi capek ya...TV lagi deh...namanya juga lagi masa2
ga bisa diem :_D

2. No Warung alias No Jajan

Anak jadi tidak mengenal warung, ga kenal yang namanya permen, coklat, chiki, dll. coba dirumah
seharian...dikit-dikit minta ke warung...apalagi ketemu om, tante, kakek, nenek yang dengan senang
hati membelikan...oke..kalau permen dan coklat rasanya masih mending...paling2 atala sakit gigi...tapi
kalau makanan/minuman yang ga jelas dibuat pake apa..wuah...susah juga ya...ini juga yang bikin aku
sedih pas atala 2 minggu dirumah karena lagi heboh banjir dan hujan...atala jadi kenal warung deh :_(

3. LOTS of ACTIVITIES
Daycare biasanya dirancang fisiknya mirip2 seperti preschool, but 90% recess...hehehe, jadi banyakan
mainnya..biasanya lebih banyak main-main...mulai dari perosotan, sampe buku cerita juga
banyak...kalau di daycare atala sih, ada acara bermain bersama dengan guru TK situ (daycarenya plus
sekolah sih)..tapi kalau aku liat paling-paling kegiatannya hanya 30 menit - 1 jam...but that's ok. buat
aku itu udah cukup... :-)

4. Menu Makanan yang sudah dirancang pihak manajemen

Asyiknya atala di daycare, aku ga perlu repot2 lagi cari resep makanan, merancang menu makanan,
apalagi memasaknya. Atala sudah disediakan 3x makan plus 1x buah..menunya pun oke-oke

5. Penanganan anak sakit yang cukup memadai

Kalau anak tiba-tiba sakit...daycare atala cukup pengalaman bagaimana memberi penanganan, jadi
orangtua bisa tenang. Kalau atala tiba-tiba demam tinggi dan diputuskan harus segera dibawa pulang,
aku ditelpon deh..dan diminta untuk segera menjemput atala.

6. Pengawasan Pengasuh oleh Pihak Manajemen

Pengasuh-pengasuh di daycare tentunya tidak semuanya mau dan bisa mengurus anak dengan hati, dan
tidak semuanya juga yang suka anak-anak. Mungkin mereka sekedar survive yang penting kerja? who
knows. Jadi, tentu saja, ada yang oke, ada yang bagus banget, ada yang lumayan, dan ada juga yang
kurang oke. Nah, tapi disini ada pengawasnya...dibandingkan anak dibiarkan berduaan dengan
pengasuh dirumah tanpa pengawasan...di daycare ada pengawas (manajer) yang bisa menjaga kualitas
pengasuhan anak (ya..seperti kita dikantor kan kadang2 ga semangat kerja ya..hehehe)

7. Ketrampilan Life Basic Skill

di daycare, ketrampilan anak untuk menguasai kemampuan dasar lebih terasah. Misalnya saja, Toilet
training, Sikat Gigi, dan makan duduk dimeja sambil berdoa (biasanya makan lebih banyak karena
rame2), jadi Anak-anak cenderung lebih cepat mandiri.

8. Waktu NgeDate dengan Orangtua lebih panjang

Ini adalah moment paling berharga dan paling aku sukai, semenjak atala di daycare. Sejak atala lahir,
aku selalu dibantu untuk mengurus atala..apalagi semakin besar, atala semakin pecicilan, jadi rasanya
Ngedate hanya berduaan dengan atala adalah impossible. Wuah...mau repot kyk gimana? belum
perlengkapan lenong yang harus dibawa-bawa kemana pun kita berada. Dengan atala di daycare, rasa
percaya diriku semakin terasah, dan moment ngedate kita juga makin panjang. Entah sekedar bermain
berduaan saat menanti sang ayah menjemput, atau pas berduaan saat weekend. Aku aja baru tersadar,
bahwa ternyata memberi makan atala setiap weekend itu susahnya bukan main (sampe pengen nangis),
tapi ternyata semakin kesini, aku semakin trampil untuk mensiasatinya. Belum lagi kalau pergi keluar
hanya berduaan saja dengan atala, naik bus umum pula..(atau naik mobil dengan saudara),
wuaah..berbagai games, nyanyian, dll. aku keluarkan semua biar atala ga bete dan ga rewel...pas masih
ada asisten, kayaknya aku ga sekreatif ini...hihihihihi

9. Kerjasama dari Pasangan makin banyak

Seperti halnya aku yang kurang pede, ayahnya atala juga kurang pede kalau soal bayi...jadi, praktis
waktu masih ada asisten, urusan atala adalah urusanku dan asisten..biasanya ayahnya hanya kebagian
yang "asyik-asyik" aja...kalaupun yang agak "ngerepotin" itu, paling-paling membersihkan BAB
atala..hehehe...
Semenjak tidak ada asisten (apalagi aku jg ga ada asisten buat ngurus rumah), ayah atala semakin
terlibat, dan dia pun juga semakin pede mengurus atala...alhasil, kami jadi merasa lebih dekat..apalagi
atala dan ayahnya :-)

Aden di Hoikuen
Gak kerasa deh udah hampir setaon Aden belajar & bermain di Hoikuen (playgroup). Dari jam 08.30
ampe jam 16.00 di hoikuen. Setiap anak dapet 2 buku, yang buku satu adalah buku Absen, jadi setiap
Aden masuk or gak masuk bakal dicap dibuku itu, selain itu dalam buku absen itu juga tercantum berat
badan & tinggi badan Aden dalam setiap bulannya. Emang untuk kegiatan timbang menimbang & ukur
mengukur dilakukan setiap bulan. Kemudian buku yang kedua adalah semacam buku catatan or diary
gitu ya. Jadi dalam buku tersebut akan ditulis aktivitas Aden dalam setiap harinya, satu hari satu lembar
catatan, lengkap juga dengan informasi, berapa kali kencing, berapa kali pup, makan siangnya habis or
nggak, jam tidur siang, berapa kali ganti celana dalam.
Kemudian setiap bulan setiap ortu akan diberikan informasi mengenai makanan dan minuman yang
diberikan di sekolah. Maksudnya jadwal menu makan siang & makanan selingan. Kemudian pelajaran
apa saja yang akan diberikan kepada si anak. Jadi Jadwal dalam setiap bulannya udah tersusun rapi,
jadi ortu pun tau hari ini si anak akan belajar apa, begitchu...
Manfaatnya banyak banget deh, yang pasti minat belajar Aden akan segala sesuatu menjadi lebih
tinggi. Dan lagi neh..segala bentuk kreasinya seberapapun baik buruknya tetap dihargai.