I carefully observed Saet-byeol in the morning, but there was no particular reaction. When she was at home, she wasn't much different from usual. The moment Saet-byeol showed a different side of herself was when we were about to leave the front door to go to the daycare center. When I subtly checked her face as she put on her shoes, it was obvious that she didn't want to go. She was looking down, perhaps to hide it.
...I need to figure this out properly.
First, I entrusted her to Shi-hyun. I sent a message to Shi-u asking him not to go to swimming class today and to come home early to look after Jae-won. Shi-u didn't understand at first, but when I asked him because I had something to do, he replied that he understood. I felt a little sorry for Shi-u, who likes going to swimming class.
It was hard to resist calling the daycare center all afternoon. I had to talk about it in person; it wasn't something to be resolved over the phone.
After lunch, I called the daycare center during the teachers' break and told them that I wanted to come a little early today to discuss something about Saet-byeol. I was worried that it might be a nuisance, but the teacher's reaction was as if what was coming had finally arrived. Seeing this, Saet-byeol at the daycare center seems to be more serious than I thought.
I waited anxiously for Shi-u to come. As soon as Shi-u finished his class and came, I prepared to leave, entrusting Jae-won to him.
"Mom, where are you going?"
Jae-won approached as I was heading to the front door to get dressed and go out.
"I'm going to pick up your sister."
"Can I come with you?"
Is it because we usually go together? Jae-won was standing with his arms open, as if telling me to take him too.
"No, Mom is going alone today. Jae-won, wait with your brother."
"Jae-won, let's play with hyung."
Shi-u, who hadn't even changed all his clothes yet, approached Jae-won and spoke, and Jae-won looked back and forth between me and Shi-u before trying to come to me.
"No can do."
Shi-u grabbed Jae-won, and I left the house in that gap.
"I'll be back soon, wait with your hyung."
"Mom, me too, me too!"
I left the house, leaving Jae-won calling me pitifully behind. I'm sorry!
I was so anxious on the way to the daycare center. I was worried about how Saet-byeol was doing, and I was also wondering if I shouldn't send her to the daycare center if it was a big problem.
When I arrived at the daycare center, lost in all sorts of thoughts, the Principal greeted me.
"You're Saet-byeol's mother, right?"
"Yes."
"Welcome."
The place the Principal guided me to, should I call it the Principal's office? It was a special place. There were many CCTV videos showing there.
"Is this CCTV?"
"Yes, we watch with this and instruct them to take immediate action if there is a problem with the child."
"I see."
I glanced at the children appearing on several screens. Will Saet-byeol be visible?
"You came because of Saet-byeol, right?"
"Yes, um, Saet-byeol...."
"Yes, I also heard about it from the teacher in charge. The story that she doesn't seem to be adapting well."
"Yes."
"Shall we see how she's doing first?"
The Principal clicked the mouse a few times, and the screen changed. The children were playing freely, but there was one child alone in the corner.
It was Saet-byeol.
"...."
I couldn't say anything.
"Yes, as you can see, Saet-byeol is often alone like that. As you can see, the children around her are gathering and playing together, but she is the only one who can't mingle."
"That's true...."
What should I do about this? Is she really not fitting in?
"The teacher in charge said that she still participates well in other activities, but it becomes a problem only during free time."
Only during free time? Then is it not Saet-byeol's problem? Are the other children avoiding Saet-byeol?
"What should I do?"
"We can't easily say anything either. The teacher in charge says that she is doing her best to help Saet-byeol get along with other children."
My head hurts, my head hurts! Why didn't Saet-byeol tell me that? Because she didn't want to worry me?
"Then...."
"Since she seems to be an introverted child, how about watching her a little more?"
Is Saet-byeol really an introverted child? She seems to resemble me a lot, but not to that extent... When she's with her younger sibling at home, she plays well.
But I couldn't not send her to the daycare center. Eventually, when she gets older, she has to go to elementary school, and a similar situation might occur then.
Maybe it's good to have this kind of experience now.
"I know you have a lot on your mind."
"Principal-sensei."
Is it really okay?
"Yes."
"Would it be better to watch her a little more?"
"That's what I think. Because they are children. Once they get close, they sometimes play together as if nothing happened."
Has she experienced a case like Saet-byeol? The Principal-sensei had a strong belief. Should I believe it? Or should I do something?
The Principal-sensei brewed coffee and placed it in front of me, who was in distress.
"You can take your time and think while drinking."
After saying that, the Principal-sensei also put down a guidebook-like thing and left the room.
"What is this?"
I checked the guidebook before drinking the coffee.
"Introverted Child Daycare Adaptation Project?"
There's even something like this... It contained various ways to help a child adapt to daycare. Are they helping like this? If what's written here is true, Saet-byeol will be able to adapt. If what's written is true....
But this could be wrong. What if the reason she didn't tell me is because it's part of the adaptation process? But Saet-byeol, whom I saw at the front door, hated going to daycare.
"This is a headache."
Lost in thought while drinking coffee, I watched the CCTV showing Saet-byeol's class. Saet-byeol didn't have any friends next to her, but she was still playing alone. Will she be okay?
After organizing my thoughts, I couldn't come to any conclusion and decided to believe what the Principal-sensei said. It might be hard for Saet-byeol, but I need to watch her a little more.
When I roughly came to a conclusion, the Principal-sensei came in. The Principal-sensei advised me to go home and not ask the child too many questions, but to make her feel comfortable.
That was definitely right. The daycare center is also trying to make her get along with other children, but if even I say such things at home, it will be hard for Saet-byeol.
"Yes, thank you for that. Please take good care of Saet-byeol in the future as well."
I bowed my head and said, and the Principal-sensei stopped me, saying not to do that. She said that it was their job and told me not to worry.
I left the daycare center first and got into the car. There were still about 40 minutes left until the daycare dismissal time, so I waited blankly.
"I don't have to worry too much, right?"
I decided to think positively. Yeah, she'll adapt soon. When it was time for dismissal, I got out of the car and went to pick up Saet-byeol, and I saw Saet-byeol with a slightly gloomy face. Is she lonely after all?
"Our daughter, Mom is here."
"Mom? Is my younger sibling not here?"
"Yeah, I came alone today."
I hugged Saet-byeol tightly.
"Let's go home."
"Okay."
It hurt my heart to see Saet-byeol looking so weak.
"Shall we eat what Saet-byeol likes for dinner tonight?"
"Really?"
"What do you want to eat?"
"Um! I want pork cutlet!"
"Pork cutlet?"
Come to think of it, it seemed like it had been a while since we ate it. I could fry it myself at home, but it's a hassle to clean up, so I should buy it, right?
"Okay, I'll tell Dad to buy it."
"Yay!"
Saet-byeol's gloomy expression brightened up a lot when I said we were going to eat pork cutlet. To think that she can brighten up this much with just one thing to eat. Even though it's hard now, if she makes friends and adapts to the daycare center, she'll show a bright side of herself, right?
"Do you like it that much?"
"Yeah!"
I felt a little relieved seeing Saet-byeol smiling happily. After arriving at the parking lot and parking the car, I left a message on my phone for Shi-hyun to pack up some delicious pork cutlet.
"Mom, let's go home quickly."
"Okay."
When I entered the house holding Saet-byeol's hand, Jae-won was lying down in front of the front door. Shi-u was watching it from a little distance. It seems like he couldn't stop him. Shi-u must have tried his best. It's just that there was no way to stop Jae-won.
"What are you doing, younger sibling?"
Jae-won's eyes widened when he saw me and Saet-byeol.
"Mom! Mom!!"
Jae-won shouted excitedly and ran to me.
"Aigoo, our youngest missed Mom that much?"
Jae-won cried so sadly when I hugged him.
"I'll take you next time, so stop crying."
Saet-byeol looked at such a younger sibling in disbelief and went inside, and when she saw Shi-u, she smiled and approached him.
"Oppa, you're already home?"
"Yeah, did you have a good time?"
"Yeah! Oppa, let's play together!"
"Okay."
Aigoo, our brother-complex Saet-byeol immediately went to Shi-u and asked him to play together. I soothed and played with Jae-won, and Shi-u played with Saet-byeol for a while before leaving only the words that he was going to study and going into his room.
"Saet-byeol, did you have fun playing with oppa?"
"Yeah."
She seems a little disappointed?
"Then shall we play with your younger sibling now?"
"Yeah!"
Jae-won also seemed bored of playing with me all the time, so he immediately approached Saet-byeol and started playing together.
Seeing Saet-byeol playing with Shi-u and Saet-byeol playing with Jae-won now, I felt a little less worried. If she adapts to the daycare center and becomes friends with other children, she'll play well, right? Come to think of it, she showed a good time playing with Ye-rin who lives next door, too?
Am I worrying too much?
Shi-hyun, who came home from work at night, came with pork cutlet in both hands.
"Kids, Dad bought pork cutlet."
The first one to run out when she heard the sound of the front door opening was, of course, Saet-byeol.
"Wow! My pork cutlet!!!"
Is she that happy? Still, seeing Saet-byeol looking so happy made me smile.
"Pork cutlet!"
Jae-won imitated such Saet-byeol.
"Kids? You have to greet Dad first."
"Welcome home."
"Welcomthe home."
"Yeah."
At Saet-byeol and Jae-won's greetings, Shi-hyun put down the pork cutlet and hugged them with a pleased expression. In the meantime, I took the pork cutlet and headed to the kitchen.
Shi-u came out late and greeted Shi-hyun and helped prepare dinner. While Saet-byeol moved the spoons and chopsticks and Shi-u moved the rice bowls, I took out the pork cutlet, cut them, put them in bowls, and served them. I also put the sauce in separate bowls, scooped the rice, and when I finished preparing dinner, Shi-hyun, who had changed his clothes, sat down.
"Okay, let's eat."
"Thank you for the food."
Everyone shouted, "Thank you for the food," and started eating dinner when Shi-hyun took the first spoonful. After filling up our stomachs, the children started playing on their own.
"How was daycare?"
I was briefly flustered by Shi-hyun's sudden question, but I was able to regain my composure quickly. From the beginning, there was only one thing Shi-hyun could ask about.
"Huh? That? I just decided to watch her a little longer."
"Really?"
"Yeah, I went and met the Principal-sensei, and it seems like there are children in Saet-byeol's situation every year."
"So?"
"They said they are also trying, so they want me to believe and wait."
Shi-hyun immediately nodded his head.
"Well, they're experts."
"Yeah, so I'm going to watch her for now."
I hope the day will come soon when Saet-byeol can laugh and play so happily even at the daycare center. Then I'll be able to rest assured.
"And if I don't send her to the daycare center because I'm worried, a similar thing will happen when she goes to elementary school anyway."
"Giving her a head start?"
"I guess that's how it'll be."
Shi-hyun nodded his head repeatedly as if he thought my words made sense.
"Well, it'll be okay."
It seems Shi-hyun understood too.
"If something happens, I can solve most things."
Well, if you have money, you can solve most things.
We smiled and watched the children playing.