We're over-mothering our kids bigtime in the West. It's an indulgence on the part of the parents.
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sato (Old Spike)
nah actually they do a lot more mothering here in japan, this video is a complete misrepresentation. kids have to be taken to one of the school's designated gathering points and they walk in their group along a predetermined path with an adult supervising at every intersection as the walk "alone" to their school, where the principal is waiting at the gate. japanese schools require parents time give their time like this, it's usually only about twice a year though as the job rotates among all the parents. going home it's the same deal they go in groups, with only the very last part of the trip from the main path everyone takes to their own door (here with tiny blocks and streets that's about 100 meters), and instead of parents it's usally volunteer "patrollers" they're called, usually the older generation.
the only kids that take the train to school are private high school students (you can't go to a public school that is outside the area you live). there are private elementary school but they all have buses to pick up their students, i see a couple of them every morning on the way to work, and one of them annoyingly often blocks my street while picking up some kids. a little kid going by themselves anywhere is extremely rare - notice how she's the only school kid on that platform and train, everybody else goes to school supervised. the tv show was a hit because it was so unsual, if it was normal to see kids going round by themselves all the time, who would watch?
this is not my picture but the people doing it in my area wear the same bright green hats, just with no yellow jackets. the parents roped into supervising wear armbands.
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(Old Spike)
We're over-mothering our kids bigtime in the West. It's an indulgence on the part of the parents.
(Old Spike)
nah actually they do a lot more mothering here in japan, this video is a complete misrepresentation. kids have to be taken to one of the school's designated gathering points and they walk in their group along a predetermined path with an adult supervising at every intersection as the walk "alone" to their school, where the principal is waiting at the gate. japanese schools require parents time give their time like this, it's usually only about twice a year though as the job rotates among all the parents. going home it's the same deal they go in groups, with only the very last part of the trip from the main path everyone takes to their own door (here with tiny blocks and streets that's about 100 meters), and instead of parents it's usally volunteer "patrollers" they're called, usually the older generation.
the only kids that take the train to school are private high school students (you can't go to a public school that is outside the area you live). there are private elementary school but they all have buses to pick up their students, i see a couple of them every morning on the way to work, and one of them annoyingly often blocks my street while picking up some kids. a little kid going by themselves anywhere is extremely rare - notice how she's the only school kid on that platform and train, everybody else goes to school supervised. the tv show was a hit because it was so unsual, if it was normal to see kids going round by themselves all the time, who would watch?
this is not my picture but the people doing it in my area wear the same bright green hats, just with no yellow jackets. the parents roped into supervising wear armbands.