To give parents peace of mind when sending their 6-18 month old children to daycare

The number of children aged 6-18 months sent to preschools in Ho Chi Minh City has increased nearly 15 times in the past 10 years, from 175 children in 2014 to 2,593 children in the 2024-2025 school year. However, the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training recognizes that this number still does not fully reflect the actual needs.

The mechanism and project of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee, the facilities and the teaching staff are ready. How to make more parents feel secure sending their 6-18 month old children to kindergartens and preschools with full legal basis instead of sending them to individuals and spontaneous childcare locations, is a story that requires the participation of teachers, schools and parents.

SCHOOL EXPERIENCES

After 10 years of taking care of children aged 6-18 months in kindergartens in the district (including Dong Xanh, Huong Duong and Vang Anh), Ms. Le Thi Oanh, Head of the Department of Education and Training of Nha Be District, said that the actual demand for sending children at this age is quite high. The district has Hiep Phuoc Industrial Park, so it wants to create conditions for parents who are workers to be able to send their children aged 6-18 months to work with peace of mind. The Department of Education and Training of the district has coordinated with the Management Board of the industrial park to repair the facilities for classes in the workers' accommodation area. Classes for children aged 6-18 months have wooden floors in the milk preparation rooms, bathing and diaper changing areas, areas for babies to learn to walk, and there is also a separate area for mothers and babies...

She and children 6-18 months old at Mang Non 1 Kindergarten, District 10, Ho Chi Minh City

Currently, there are about 37 children aged 6-18 months studying in the 3 kindergartens mentioned above. The management staff and teachers of these classes all have university degrees or higher.

Since 2015, Be Ngoan Kindergarten, District 1, has also begun to take care of and educate children aged 6-18 months. "The school has one class for children aged 6-18 months. Many people want to send their children to this age group, but the school cannot accept more," said Ms. Nguyen Thi My Phuong, Principal of the school.

At Be Ngoan Kindergarten, facilities for safe and effective care, nurturing and education for children 6-18 months old are invested in. The common room is covered with wooden floors and fully furnished with age-appropriate items and equipment. The characteristic of young children is that they lie down a lot and sleep a lot, so the school decorates the ceiling with vivid drawings and objects to help children develop their vision.

Ms. My Phuong also said that the breastfeeding corner now has an additional area for pumping breast milk using a machine, because parents only have time to come to school during lunch break, when their children are sleeping. The equipment in the milk preparation room is modern, ensuring hygiene and reducing the workload for teachers, including a bottle sterilizer, a milk powder thermometer, and a breast milk incubator. The school also has a separate area to prepare food for children 6-18 months old such as powder and porridge, and has also renovated a separate playground for children of this age.

PARENTS ARE INVITED TO SCHOOL TO EXPERIENCE BEING TEACHERS

Experts say that to effectively promote the project of caring for, nurturing and educating children aged 6-18 months in preschools in Ho Chi Minh City, communication work is very important. Parents need to participate in open activities and learn about the monitoring and inspection mechanisms of the authorities to ensure absolute safety for children during school time. And parents also need to understand why sending their children to kindergarten is more beneficial than leaving them at home with a nanny or sending them to the neighbors.

Recently, Nhieu Loc Kindergarten, Tan Phu District - where there are 25 children aged 6-18 months, often invites parents to the school to experience a day "being a kindergarten teacher".

Ms. Nguyen Thi Tuyet Mai, Principal of Nhieu Loc Kindergarten, said that when entering the school, parents will participate in the daily work of teachers to grasp the school activities of children 6-18 months old.

"Many parents and grandparents think that children aged 6-18 months only need to eat, sleep, and not be sick to develop well. But in fact, the 6-18 month period is very important for children, because at this time, their cognitive abilities, language, motor and social skills begin to form and develop. At school, teachers encourage parents and grandparents to spend time playing and talking with children to build close relationships, stimulate and develop their speaking and communication skills; and encourage children to exercise to develop physically, intellectually and emotionally," said Ms. Mai.

The classroom for children from 6 to 18 months old is fully invested and equipped. The common room has wooden floors and is fully furnished and equipped according to age-appropriate categories.

Love children like your own

Ms. Le Thi Thu Van, teacher in charge of class 6-18 months old at Kindergarten 12, District 5, who was recently awarded a certificate of merit by the Department of Education and Training of Ho Chi Minh City for her good performance in caring for and educating children 6-18 months old in the period 2014-2024, has been working with children of this age for the past 8 years.

According to Ms. Van, to make children trust, teachers must first be their trustworthy friends. When mothers bring their children to class on the first days, children often hug their mothers tightly, not wanting to let go, and look around to investigate. If the teacher tries to take the child away from the mother, the child will hate and fear her. Therefore, Ms. Van only approaches to greet the parents and smiles at the child, can ask questions of the child, talk to the mother but does not hold the child.

In class, Ms. Van is open, caring, and full of praise so that children feel happy and safe with her and their friends. She lets children get acquainted with stories, poems, folk songs, and familiar songs just like when they are at home with their mother. At bedtime, if any child has trouble sleeping, she hugs, soothes, and sings them a lullaby.

According to Ms. Van, talking and communicating with young parents is equally important. When parents bring their children to class, the teacher will fold her arms to greet the children so that they can learn how to greet and speak like her. In addition, she often talks with parents about their children's habits and interests to find ways to help them adapt. During pick-up and drop-off times, she talks with parents about their children's health and progress. Through the class's bulletin board and Zalo group, the teacher often sends pictures of the children studying and playing, and evaluates them at each stage.

"The most important and core thing for teachers when taking care of children 6-18 months old is to be truly loving, gentle, caring for children wholeheartedly, with all their heart like a second mother. Only then will children feel the teacher's affection, so that they can interact and coordinate well, helping teachers fulfill their roles and tasks well, and parents can truly feel secure when sending their children to school," Ms. Van confided.

Great support for parents

Ms. Le Thi Ha, a teacher of the 6-18 month group at Hoa Hong Kindergarten in District 7, said: "More than ten years ago, the city's kindergartens did not take care of children from 6 months old. I worked at a kindergarten in Go Vap District. I did not have grandparents living with me to look after my grandchild. Luckily, there was a retired teacher near my house who took pity on my husband and I so she took care of the baby for me. When my baby was over 1 year old, I carried him on my motorbike to school in the morning, the mother went to work, and the child went to class. Now, kindergartens take care of children from 6 months old, which is very helpful for many parents, and at the same time, the children also develop comprehensively."

Similarly, Ms. Nguyen Thu Thu Hong, whose child attends Nhieu Loc Kindergarten in Tan Phu District, said she feels lucky that her house is near the school, and as soon as her maternity leave ends, she can send her child to work at 6 months old.

Ho Chi Minh City currently has 241 preschools that take care of, nurture, and educate children aged 6-18 months in most districts and Thu Duc City, only District 4 has not yet implemented. Information on these facilities is public on the Ho Chi Minh City education sector information portal:

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/de-phu-huynh-yen-tam-gui-con-6-18-thang-tuoi-di-nha-tre-185250105184053163.htm