My Family Story

Having Dinner My Son Prepared

One day, when my son in his fourth year of elementary school returned home, he said all of a sudden. “Mom, I want to prepare a meal for you.” “Did you have a cooking class at school?” “No. You’ve set the table for me so many times, but I’ve never…

Park Gyeong-suk from Paju, Korea

The Greatest Gift

A few days ago, it was my birthday. I had a busy day so I went out early in the morning and came home late at night. So I didn’t have a proper meal all day long. When I went inside my house, my little daughter burst out of her…

Choi Yun-hui from Daegu, South Korea

Mom’s Letter

“Mom, it’s me. What are you doing?” “Uh, I’m doing my homework.” “What is it?” “Writing three times what I wrote wrong on my spelling test.” “Mom, don’t write more than three times. I’m afraid it might tire you.” “Well, I’ve already written more than three times.” This is our…

Hwang Ju-hui from Suwon, South Korea

Happy Cooking Time

On a national holiday during the year when I became a middle school student, I made up my mind to help my mom a little as she was busy cooking. First of all, I followed her to a grocery store to prepare holiday dishes, pushing a shopping cart. When the…

Mun Gahng-san from Yongin, South Korea

I Am a Bad Daughter

When I was in elementary school, my father died, and my mom raised her son and three daughters alone. My mom used to go to Jagalchi Market early in the morning and buy a box of fish to sell it in a retail store in the neighborhood; she worked so…

Choi Yeong-jin from Seoul, South Korea

A United Family in a Difficult Time

One day, my husband came back from work, limping. As I asked him what happened, he said he fell at a small car accident and he felt pain in the leg. He thought he would be okay and came straight home without going to the hospital. I was worried there…

Gye Gyeong-nam from Seoul, South Korea

Love Your Brother as Yourself

My house is always full of noise. The ones who make the noise are my son and daughter who are a year apart in age. The two always play together but mostly end up in a fight. Sometimes, I even order them to keep one meter away from each other.…

Park Jeong-a from Gimcheon, South Korea

Versatile Mom

“Mom, I will grow to be a mom.” “Why?” “You can hold toilet rolls with one hand and hold my hand with the other hand.” I don’t remember, but my mom told me that I said that when I was four years old. On the way back home from a…

Lee Jeong-yeon from Bucheon, South Korea

I Want to Resemble Mom

Everyone has a role model in his or her life and tries to resemble the role model. I, too, have the person I want to become like; it is my mother. She is the most caring and loving person in my family, so I wanted to learn everything whatever she…

Vini Alexander Chettiar from Vadodara, India

Love for Her Daughter-in-law

My family had lived with my parents-in-law for six years until we moved out. My mother-in-law took good care of my family while living together, but after we moved out, she is now taking greater care of us. One day, she called me and said she would drop by my…

Jeong Hye-su from Daegu, South Korea

When I Was Three Years Old

I happened to take care of a three-year-old daughter of my acquaintance for hours. My parents, who were out with me, picked her up together and headed home. My parents looked very happy, probably because they had little opportunity for taking care of a kid. When we arrived home, I…

Park Yun-jeong from Seongnam, South Korea

I’m Sorry and Thank You

One day, my elementary school daughter asked me if she could make dalgona (honeycomb toffee made with brown sugar and baking soda). As I had just finished cleaning the house, I didn’t want the house to get messy but allowed her to do it because I felt sorry for her…

Jo Eun-yeong from Anyang, South Korea

On Behalf of My Parents

I’m the oldest of my eight siblings. When I was young, I did the housework and took care of my younger siblings on behalf of my working parents. My mom worked shifts as a certified nurse assistant. So, once she went to work, I couldn’t see her for thirty-two hours,…

Lailahni Efa Rose Tuaila from San Diego, CA, U.S.

Daily Life That I Have Taken for Granted

My parents share housework; Dad cleans the house, Mom does the laundry, and they cook together. Since I became an adult, I was ashamed of doing nothing for them, so I volunteered to help them. But my parents said it was helpful when I did nothing. On a holiday, my…

Kim Ha-jin from Anyang, South Korea

The Most Special Day in Her Life

August 9 This is the name of a new cafe near my house. I thought it was very peculiar when I saw the signboard with a specific date written on it. Every time I passed the cafe, I was curious about the meaning. One day I entered the café out…

Oh Jin-hui from Anyang, South Korea

Mom’s 70th Birthday Party

March 1, 2019, was my mother’s 70th birthday. The four of my siblings took each role and made full preparations for her wonderful and memorable birthday party. And the day before her birthday, we all gathered at the appointed place. We were 18 in total including my parents, oldest brother’s…

Yun Ju-yeong from Seoul, South Korea

Just like My Sister

As the youngest at home, I have rarely worked hard nor did something difficult. Even on my parents’ birthdays, my elder sister took the lead in preparing birthday food and gifts, so I didn’t have anything to do. This year, too, I didn’t prepare anything for my mom’s upcoming birthday.…

Jo Eun-bi from Gwangju, South Korea

Mom-Cooked Meals

‘What should I eat for dinner this evening?’ This is what lingers in my head from the moment when I leave work until I enter the kitchen. Since I changed my job and started living alone, I had to invest my time in what I had not put much weight…

Kim Jeong-ha from Anyang, South Korea

A Happy Family Made with Care

My husband who works in a construction site, my daughter studying in the lab, and I are living together. My husband and daughter are so busy that it is difficult for us all to get together. However, since I diligently put into practice the “Mission of the Month” in the…

Kim Eun-suk from Seoul, South Korea

Luxury at My Fingertips

This is what happened when I was young. I was about ten years old. There was a cosmetics store in the street where I often go to and from school, and outside the store there was a basket full of nail polishes. One day, my sister, who is two years…

Kim Do-yeong from Buenos Aires, Argentina