We are familiar with Mother’s Day and Father’s Day. But did you know that 26 countries in the world celebrate Children’s Day? Some adoptive parents’ groups have activities for their members to celebrate this day, which in South Korea is May 5.
This might be one part of your child’s ethnic heritage well worth celebrating. Even if your family does not hail in part from a country where Children’s Day is celebrated, it could become a well-loved family tradition and an excellent way of showing our children how glad we are that they are ours.
Japan now proclaims May 5 as Children’s Day also, although many families adhere to the older custom of Boys’ Day on May 5 and Girls’ Day on March 3. Egypt, Iraq and seven other Middle Eastern countries celebrate it on July 4, which (according to Wikipedia) is the Islamic calendar equivalent to May 5. Many other countries observe June 1 as International Children’s Day. This grew out of a conference on children’s welfare held in Geneva in 1925. One theory of why June 1 was chosen is that the delegates were inspired by the Chinese consul in San Francisco who took dozens of Chinese orphans to the Dragon Boat races, which that year were June 1 and coincided with the conference.
Children’s Day need not involve giving gifts. Indeed, in Korea it is more about family outings to child-oriented places. In some families this may be a major outing such as to an amusement park, but it also may be a simple picnic in the park, as my family did three years ago. (I think that was the last time all adults and children in the family played tag together. It’s a good memory we’ll have to repeat.)
In some societies businesses and local governments also attempt to show children they are a valued part of the community with many attractions and restaurants offering discounts and special programs. Wouldn’t it be nice if our whole society, not just parents, were so visible in celebrating children?
For some adoptive families this is also a day to celebrate their children’s heritage. In my area our Korean Focus chapter is sponsoring a day involving crafts, kite-flying, tae kwon do demonstrations and musical performances.
Whether your focus is culture or just plain fun, a day just to focus on our children–not on their academics or activities, just on enjoying ourselves together, could be a good idea for all of us.
Please see these related blogs:
Celebrating Your Child’s Heritage