It's as hard as taking care of a 6-year-old.

As the motorbike pulled up in front of the school gate, Ms. My Ha was still fumbling with her baby carrier and bulky backpack when the teachers from Hoa Hong Kindergarten (Phu Thuan Ward, District 7, Ho Chi Minh City) came over and helped her carry baby Kim Ngan.

Ms. Le Thi Ha, a teacher at Hoa Hong Kindergarten, has many years of experience caring for children aged 6-18 months.

Kim Ngan has been attending Hoa Hong Kindergarten since she was 6 months old. Now over 14 months old, she is very cute and affectionate with her teachers. Ms. My Ha, who works in a government agency, always feels fortunate to have a kindergarten near her home that accepts children from 6 months old, allowing her to return to work with peace of mind after her maternity leave ends. Hoa Hong Kindergarten is one of the public kindergartens in Ho Chi Minh City that accepts children from 6 months old.

THE MOTHERS OF CHILDREN

Ms. Le Thi Ha, 52 years old, head of the professional team and teacher at Hoa Hong Kindergarten, has 30 years of experience in early childhood care and education . Having worked in Go Vap District for a period before transferring to District 7, Ms. Ha spent many years in charge of groups of children aged 6-12 months and 13-18 months. However, because the 6-12 month group usually has very few children, sometimes only 1-2 children in the entire school, schools often combine children aged 6-18 months into one class to facilitate the allocation of teachers, caregivers, and facilities.

Ms. Le Thi Ha said that from 6 to 18 months old, many children are still breastfeeding and have just left their mothers' arms to go to school, so they are still quite unfamiliar with everything. Teachers need a lot of experience and dedication in holding, caring for, and nurturing them.

"I once dreamed of becoming a high school foreign language teacher, but fate led me to become a preschool teacher. The more I work in this profession, the more I realize that my motivation to do my best in this job is my love for children," shared Ms. Le Thi Ha.

In July 2024, during the summer break, the 6-18 month old class at Hoa Hong Kindergarten had 26 children registered by their parents. On the day we visited, 22 children were present. The teachers divided the class into groups; some played in different corners of the classroom, while others engaged in physical activities. Children at this age are always on the move; some enjoy pushing walkers, others want to play on rocking horses, and some want to climb on the toys… The teachers had to constantly supervise the children to prevent falls.

" LOVE CHILDREN AS IF THEY WERE YOUR OWN"

After a while of cradling, comforting, and guiding the children in play, teacher Hoang Thi Thu Giang, 40 years old, a teacher of the 6-18 month old group, had her shirt soaked with sweat. Ms. Giang has three young children and a lot of experience in caring for and raising children, so for many years she has been in charge of the youngest group at the school.

Next to Ms. Giang, Ms. Le Thi Ha sat resting for a while in the middle of the classroom, her left arm still cradling a little girl, her right arm holding a little boy, and two more children at her feet demanding toys. Sweat matted her hair, and she had no hands to wipe it away. The teachers said that things were much better now because the children cried less. Back then, at the beginning of the school year, the children would cry incessantly all day, and the teachers had to take turns constantly holding them in their arms or rocking them in cradles, often without time to drink water or go to the restroom.

Speaking in a low, hoarse voice (due to a chronic sore throat from her occupation), Ms. Le Thi Ha said: "Anyone with young children, anyone who takes care of a child at home, knows it immediately. It's always busy, with hands and eyes on the child. Especially when children are 6-18 months old, they are very active. They might put things in their eyes, nose, or mouth, so you have to rush over immediately. Children at this age also easily fight over toys, bite their friends, hit their friends... so you can't take your eyes off them." Notice that toys for children of this age must be made of fabric or soft foam; children's books are also fabric books; and the fabric baskets for toys are very low, within the child's reach.

Ms. Tran Thi Tu Trinh, Principal of Hoa Hong Kindergarten, said that caring for children at this young age not only requires experienced teachers with a high sense of responsibility, but also requires quick thinking, good problem-solving skills, and the ability to handle situations to prevent children from choking or suffocating from milk or porridge.

"Feeding the children requires a staggered schedule; one group eats while another plays. When it's time for the babies to sleep, two teachers keep an eye on them because many things can happen while they're asleep. The group of children aged 6-18 months also has more teachers. The school management visits the class several times a day, and seeing that the teachers are overwhelmed, they also help feed the children and hold them. Besides the older teachers, the class always has younger teachers so they can learn from each other and receive professional guidance," Ms. Tú Trinh recounted.

In the classroom, Ms. Le Thi Ha, Ms. Giang, and the other teachers hung a banner, which also conveyed the message of all the teachers and childcare staff here: "Love the children as if they were your own." Because when it comes to their own children, what mother would dare to complain about the hardships of caring for them, and what mother wouldn't be overjoyed to see her child grow up each day? Understanding this, the teachers have become accustomed to working at full capacity, constantly busy from 6:30 AM to 5:00 PM. Everyone has to bring several sets of clothes to work, because by noon they arrive at school neatly dressed, but are already drenched in sweat, their hair sometimes covered in milk, porridge, or even vomit from the children.

Children at this age are always on the move, so teachers have to constantly supervise them to prevent falls.

YEAR-ROUND ADMISSIONS

According to the Deputy Head of the Education and Training Department of a district in Ho Chi Minh City, in charge of preschool education, each district and county, including Thu Duc City (Ho Chi Minh City), has a pre-planned system of public and private preschools and independent kindergarten classes that comply with Circular 49 of the Ministry of Education and Training, providing childcare for children aged 6-12 months and 13-18 months (schools often combine these two age groups, as the number of children in the 6-12 month age group is usually small). Teachers there receive ongoing training to improve their skills and knowledge in childcare, and are trained in developing plans for coordination with health services and other relevant agencies.

"The school facilities are ready, and the teachers in charge of the 6-18 month old groups are also ready to care for the children. We're not waiting for the children to arrive before setting up the groups and finding qualified teachers. It's possible that if the school opens in September, the children might not be old enough to attend, but by November they will be old enough to go to school, and if the school has the capacity, it will continue to accept them," the Deputy Head of the Education Department said.

Principal Tran Thi Tu Trinh said that Hoa Hong Kindergarten usually enrolls children aged 6-18 months year-round. Because some children may experience runny noses or fevers due to teething after a few weeks of school, and parents, worried about their children, keep them at home and find someone to care for them, the school will accept another child, creating opportunities for other families who need to send their children to school...

Every locality has preschools that care for children from 6 months old.

In Phu Nhuan District (Ho Chi Minh City), for many years, Son Ca 14 Kindergarten has been caring for and nurturing children aged 6-18 months.

In District 3, there are Hoa Mai Kindergarten, Kindergarten No. 6, Anh Duong Private Kindergarten, and Ban Mai Independent Childcare Group.

In District 1, along with many other public schools, Bé Ngoan Kindergarten has been trusted by parents for many years to send their children there from the age of 6 months.

In District 7, besides Hoa Hong Kindergarten, there are Phu My Kindergarten, Tan Thuan Export Processing Zone Kindergarten, and 19.5 Kindergarten, all operating effectively with classes for children aged 6-18 months…

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/vat-va-nhu-cham-tre-6-18-thang-tuoi-185240730181806019.htm