“Take a Break with Your Child”
(Published November 15, 2012)

Suwon opens the I Love Mom Café… a new form of childcare receives great reviews

◇ Suwon’s I Love Mom Café opened on November 12 at the Suwon Family & Women’s Hall. Gyeonggi Province Governor Kim Moon-soo, Suwon City Mayor Yeom Tae-young, and eighty participants celebrated the cafe’s opening. ⓒ G-News Plus Heo Seon-ryang

“Take a short break at a mother-and-child-friendly place.”
 
A new childcare center designed for multicultural families, low-income families, and families with infants aged up to 36 months was opened in Suwon.
 
As part of Gyeonggi Province’s Kid’s Campaign, in which rest and relaxation facilities are installed in local government-run libraries and health centers, the I Love Mom Café opened on November 12 at the Suwon Family & Women’s Hall in Paldal-gu, Suwon City.
 
‘I Love Mom Café’ is a new name for the I Love Children Café project, which is dedicated to creating comfortable places to relax for mothers and their children.
 
The I Love Mom Café is unlike any other childcare facilities. Two to four assistant teachers are on standby at all times depending on the size of the café. Mothers can play with their children or request a professional educational program or childcare advice. There is also a corner for mothers to communicate and share information within the café.
 
It is a one-stop facility where mothers can get advice according to the age of their child. They also provide well-received educational programs that involve both parents.
 
The new café was opened for business at 10am on November 12, attended by Gyeonggi Province Governor Kim Moon-soo, Suwon City Mayor Yeom Tae-young, related civil workers, and eighty local residents. Governor Kim said in his speech that: “These days, people are reluctant to have children because the financial responsibility is too much of a burden. The Gyeonggi Provincial Government will continue to support projects such as the I Love Mom Café.”◇ Visitors to Suwon’s I Love Mom Café browsing its nursing room. ⓒ G-News Plus Heo Seon-ryang
 
Gyeonggi Province had already opened similar cafés in Paju and Anseong in October and November respectively.
 
The government will open ten additional I Love Mom Cafés at libraries, health centers, district offices, and other public facilities. According to a survey, leased apartment areas do not have enough childcare facilities. Plans to build the I Love Cafés into empty public lots in the cities of Bucheon, Hwaseong, Osan, and Namyangju are under review.

Kim Hui-gyeong, a mother of two living in Suwon, said, “It was a long trip to the nearest kids’ café. I am happy that one opened so close to home.”
 
After the opening ceremony, Governor Kim and Gyeonggi provincial officials toured the facilities and spent some time playing with the children and listening to the mothers’ remarks about the new café.
 
The I Love Mom Café is open Monday to Friday for three sessions each day (10:00 to 12:00; 12:00 to 15:00; and 15:30 to 17:30). Each session can accommodate ten children, so a total of thirty children can be taken care of at the café each day. One family can use the facilities twice a week, for a maximum of eight times a month.
 
Reservations can be made by phone call or a visit to the café. Admission is free.
 
A local government official said, “The I Love Mom Café demnstrates the local government’s devotion to families with young children who are unable to use childcare facilities. The café will be a great place to get consulting on childcare as well as the perfect venue for toddlers to meet new friends to play with.”
 ◇ Governor Kim playing with children after giving his opening speech. ⓒ G-News Plus News Heo Seon-ryang
 
ⓒ G-News Plus News | Roh Kyeong-hui khrohh@kg21.net
 
http://gnews.gg.go.kr/news/news_detail.asp?number=201211121619277055C048&s_code=C048