Why I Started KOKORO
— As a mother of two and a childcare professional
■ That First Day I Left My Child at Daycare
I hold a qualification in childcare and have experience working in Australian childcare centres. As a professional who looked after other people's children, I thought I understood how everything worked on the ground.
However, I will never forget the day I left my own child at daycare for the first time. "It’s okay, I’m leaving them with professionals. It’ll be fine."
My head understood that. But after dropping them off, I found myself secretly peeking through the window until my child was out of sight. I sat there clutching my smartphone, waiting and thinking, "Is it here yet? Is it here yet?" for the photo report from the centre to arrive.
"Are they napping okay?" "Are they crying?" "Did they eat their lunch?"
Even though I knew I was leaving them with professionals, when it came to my own child, I was just so, so anxious.
In that moment, I thought: If I, who knows the industry, feel this anxious, then parents who are leaving their child with someone for the very first time must feel many times more nervous.
■ The Courage It Takes to Leave Your Child Abroad
To be honest, I wasn't always very good at English myself.
While raising children in Australia, there were many times I felt the language barrier. Things about my child’s health, allergies, or detailed sleep routines—things that can be explained in one word in Japanese were often difficult to convey fully in English.
For those visiting on holiday, it must be even more difficult. Leaving your precious child with someone you don't know, in an unfamiliar place, and in an environment where Japanese isn't spoken. As a mother myself, I can feel that anxiety as if it were my own.
■ Why I Created KOKORO
A place where you can communicate in Japanese with peace of mind and leave your child with total confidence.
"If the service I want doesn’t exist, I’ll build it myself."
That simple thought was the beginning of KOKORO. The reason KOKORO is so committed to our training manuals, safety checklists, and regular training sessions is that I want to provide even a little bit of relief to parents who feel the same anxiety I did.
Because I know that anxiety firsthand as a mother, I continue to work on creating an environment that protects children's safety and parents' peace of mind without any compromise.
■ Wanting to Be Someone You Can Lean On
Among the Japanese community raising children in the Gold Coast, many do not have family nearby they can rely on. If we were in Japan, you might be able to say, "I'll leave the kids with my mum for a bit and go to the hair salon!" But here, it’s not that simple.
For those people, I want to be someone they can turn to, even for a short time, and say, "Could you look after them for a bit?" I want to be a presence that brings a sense of relief through the Japanese language.
The same applies to those on holiday. Many people feel hesitant about leaving their child with a stranger. When it’s overseas, the hurdle feels even higher. That is why we have built our service step-by-step to help you feel that "it's okay to leave them with us," by ensuring:
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Full communication in Japanese.
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Support from staff with professional childcare experience.
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Photo updates of your child during the sitting session.
■ Care Unique to Japanese Culture
All KOKORO staff are Japanese. Reading picture books in Japanese. Japanese songs and fingerplay. Lining up shoes, tidying up toys, and saying "Itadakimasu" and "Gochisousama"—these are things that come naturally because we are Japanese.
Of course, our staff also speak English, so we can support English-speaking families as well.
■ About the Name "KOKORO"
KOKORO means "Heart" in Japanese. Putting our heart into every single session. Protecting your child’s safety. Supporting your family's precious time. I want to stand by all families without ever forgetting the anxiety I felt as a mother.
That is the origin of KOKORO.
Shizuka Representative, KOKORO Babysitting
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© Kokoro Holdings Pty Ltd ｜ Trading as KOKORO Babysitting
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