In 2003, the author first set foot in the United States and confessed that his confidence crumbled within a month due to the language and cultural barriers.
However, that time of unfamiliarity and trial and error ultimately became the foundation for me to grow stronger as a mother, as a woman, and as an individual.
"Raising My Child Well in America" ​​is a record of 22 years of American school culture and family learning, told through scenes from daily life, from the overwhelming feeling of being in front of the kindergarten gate to the moment of handing over the tassel at the graduation ceremony.


From parent-teacher conferences, roommates/PTAs, school buses and field trips, electives and volunteer/internships, to early college and graduation ceremonies, this book provides a rich example of the American school-home network, showing how to foster sociality, responsibility, and independence beyond grades, and how mothers change their perspective from "helicopter" to "sunflower."
This book is a growth essay that goes beyond how to raise children and tells parents how to rebuild themselves.

Most American homes have a pantry, a storage area for food, located on one side of the kitchen.
It is filled with canned goods, grains, napkins, snacks, cereals, and various dried foods.
In the United States, where the land is vast and distances to travel are long, a culture has taken hold of buying large quantities at once and storing them in the pantry instead of going to the market frequently.

--- p.13 "In a world where language and dining tables are all different"

One of the methods that American parents often use is the 'play date'.
This is a method where children set a time to meet and play together, and parents take turns looking after the children and interacting with each other.
Through play, children learn how to get along with their peers, and parents build new relationships through conversation.

--- p.30 "The Secret to Making Friends, from Playdate"

The 'Room Mother' literally acts as the 'representative mother' for the class.
Host class events (birthday parties, year-end parties, etc.), collect necessary classroom supplies, and serve as a bridge between teachers and parents.
Sometimes I read books as a teaching assistant, help solve math problems, and am also responsible for preparing for field trips or class projects.

--- p.73 "Room Mother"

What I've learned from raising children is simple.
Parental interest and support during middle school is much more important than you might think.
This period coincides with puberty and is a time when children begin to discover their own identity and develop independence.
Children grow up brightly only when parents watch over them, encourage them, and provide strong support when needed, rather than hastily interfering.
--- p.98 "Finding Your Way Through Adolescence"

Once students enter high school, the frequency with which parents communicate directly with teachers decreases.
This is because parental involvement in schools is limited to helping out at events.
In particular, college admissions counseling is conducted independently by the counselor and the student to respect the individual student's wishes and decisions.
This structure is not intended to exclude parents, but to recognize students as independent individuals.

--- p.129 "On the Road to Graduation"

One thing I've realized while raising children is that parents' attitudes should be flexible, like sunflowers that turn their heads to follow the sun.
The transition from a 'helicopter mom' to a 'sunflower mom' is a mature role change that respects the child's independence while also watching from the side.

--- p.149 From "From Helicopter Heart to Sunflower Heart"

Now, I am taking a step forward from being a 'mom who cooks' to a 'mom with a career'.
My experience at Meredith gave me the confidence to believe I could do it, and it opened the door to connecting the growth I had with my son to my social values ​​and my career.
When I first set foot in the United States, I began to seek out and pursue opportunities for learning and challenges that I could never have imagined. Before I knew it, I was growing into a happier and more confident mother and a more engaged member of society.

So I sometimes tell my kids this:
“Learning is a journey that never ends.”

--- p.158 From "From a Cooking Mom to a Career Mom"