Japanese kids running errands

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
As a Japanese, let me tell you that generalizations are always wrong. Yes, there are toddlers who run errands in Asia - it's prevalent in China too. Yes, the main danger is being hit by a car (there are often no sidewalks and the residential streets can be narrow). Many families do not do this errand thing, or plan it so that the toddler has a safe route to the nearest store. It's orchestrated, in other words, and the goal is development of self-esteem and self-reliance.

In Japan, some schools pair up Kindergartners by geographic location and expect them to walk to school and back as a pair. Again, this is a tradition and not always implemented for safety reasons.

What I do notice in my travels is that European and Asian families don't carry their house contents with them when they go on outings! Fewer sightings of huge diaper bags, double strollers, minivans spilling out their overflow onto the sidewalk, etc. Even toddlers carry their own little bags with small water bottles. The parent has a normal bag, with a diaper and little packet of wipes. No need for food or toys if the outing lasts less than a few hours. In the US their peers in similar conditions are often fed and entertained constantly to keep them well-behaved and as a result develop patience and coping skills somewhat later in life.

However, fortunately generalizations are always wrong.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Omg. Soooo cute!!!

+1. I totally enjoyed this video. Made my morning!

[Anonymous]

I live in Japan as a non Japanese. The U.S. is simply not set up in the same way. First, Japanese people are much more mindful of pedestrians and cyclists. Driving down my narrow Japanese street is terrifying, bc if someone walks out in front of me, it is totally my fault (even if they are negligent). Cars are "stronger" than people or bikes, so the driver is always blamed for not being more careful. Also, the crime rate is significantly less. Child abduction is linked to family members, not pedophiles (although sex crimes exist-groping on trains etc). Schools are set up so that kids can walk to schools in groups with teacher chaperones. Trains are accurate and perfectly timed. Society has to be set up like this bc the Japanese want their workforce at work, not encumbered by school drop off. It is pretty amazing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I live in Japan as a non Japanese. The U.S. is simply not set up in the same way. First, Japanese people are much more mindful of pedestrians and cyclists. Driving down my narrow Japanese street is terrifying, bc if someone walks out in front of me, it is totally my fault (even if they are negligent). Cars are "stronger" than people or bikes, so the driver is always blamed for not being more careful. Also, the crime rate is significantly less. Child abduction is linked to family members, not pedophiles (although sex crimes exist-groping on trains etc).[i][u] Schools are set up so that kids can walk to schools in groups with teacher chaperones. Trains are accurate and perfectly timed. Society has to be set up like this bc the Japanese want their workforce at work, not encumbered by school drop off. It is pretty amazing.

That is *exactly* the same in the US. Stranger child abduction in the US is extraordinarily, exceedingly, rare. And yet, for some reason, US parents are fixated on it in a way that isn't the case in most of Europe and Asia.

[Anonymous]

I let my 5 yo run into the grocery store to get milk. I also let my 5 & 6 yo walk around the block (no street crossing) to their friends house.

They also know how to use the stove to make eggs and pancakes.

CPS should be here any minute.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I live in Japan as a non Japanese. The U.S. is simply not set up in the same way. First, Japanese people are much more mindful of pedestrians and cyclists. Driving down my narrow Japanese street is terrifying, bc if someone walks out in front of me, it is totally my fault (even if they are negligent). Cars are "stronger" than people or bikes, so the driver is always blamed for not being more careful. Also, the crime rate is significantly less. Child abduction is linked to family members, not pedophiles (although sex crimes exist-groping on trains etc). Schools are set up so that kids can walk to schools in groups with teacher chaperones. Trains are accurate and perfectly timed. Society has to be set up like this bc the Japanese want their workforce at work, not encumbered by school drop off. It is pretty amazing.

I wish we did that here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:


What I do notice in my travels is that European and Asian families don't carry their house contents with them when they go on outings! Fewer sightings of huge diaper bags, double strollers, minivans spilling out their overflow onto the sidewalk, etc. Even toddlers carry their own little bags with small water bottles. The parent has a normal bag, with a diaper and little packet of wipes. No need for food or toys if the outing lasts less than a few hours. In the US their peers in similar conditions are often fed and entertained constantly to keep them well-behaved and as a result develop patience and coping skills somewhat later in life.

This doesn't mean it's a better way of life.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I live in Japan as a non Japanese. The U.S. is simply not set up in the same way. First, Japanese people are much more mindful of pedestrians and cyclists. Driving down my narrow Japanese street is terrifying, bc if someone walks out in front of me, it is totally my fault (even if they are negligent). Cars are "stronger" than people or bikes, so the driver is always blamed for not being more careful. Also, the crime rate is significantly less. Child abduction is linked to family members, not pedophiles (although sex crimes exist-groping on trains etc). Schools are set up so that kids can walk to schools in groups with teacher chaperones. Trains are accurate and perfectly timed. Society has to be set up like this bc the Japanese want their workforce at work, not encumbered by school drop off. It is pretty amazing.

Sorry, I'd prefer leaving at 5 pm every day to all this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Japan has a much lower crime rate than the U.S. The murder rate is extremely low there. Also, pedophiles are everywhere in this area. Just pull up the sex offender map and they are everywhere.

Most people on the sex offender list are not pedophiles who are danger to your children. You can be an 18 yr old having sex with your 17 yr old girl friend and end up on the sex offender list. I have absolutely no faith that it tells me anything useful.

Most men on the sex offender list are not 18 year olds that had sex with 17 year old girlfriends. Do you understand how one gets on that list?

[Anonymous]

So no one else remembers this from Sesame Street circa 1975?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Im4GwUD1UY8

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Japan has a much lower crime rate than the U.S. The murder rate is extremely low there. Also, pedophiles are everywhere in this area. Just pull up the sex offender map and they are everywhere.

Most people on the sex offender list are not pedophiles who are danger to your children. You can be an 18 yr old having sex with your 17 yr old girl friend and end up on the sex offender list. I have absolutely no faith that it tells me anything useful.

The sex offender list doesn't even limit itself to pedophiles. Some people on that list are convicted of assaulting another adult. Not that that makes them less dangerous, but the sex offender registry isn't a map of pedophiles.

If you take a look at the list you will see many of them are pedophiles. The situation you listed above does not make up the majority of the list.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Japan has a much lower crime rate than the U.S. The murder rate is extremely low there. Also, pedophiles are everywhere in this area. Just pull up the sex offender map and they are everywhere.

Most people on the sex offender list are not pedophiles who are danger to your children. You can be an 18 yr old having sex with your 17 yr old girl friend and end up on the sex offender list. I have absolutely no faith that it tells me anything useful.

Most men on the sex offender list are not 18 year olds that had sex with 17 year old girlfriends. Do you understand how one gets on that list?

There are many ways you can end up on the sex offender list, many of which are in no way indicators that you are a danger to children.

http://www.publicintegrity.org/2013/05/01/12594/report-details-lives-ruined-children-put-sex-offender-registries

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I live in Japan as a non Japanese. The U.S. is simply not set up in the same way. First, Japanese people are much more mindful of pedestrians and cyclists. Driving down my narrow Japanese street is terrifying, bc if someone walks out in front of me, it is totally my fault (even if they are negligent). Cars are "stronger" than people or bikes, so the driver is always blamed for not being more careful. Also, the crime rate is significantly less. Child abduction is linked to family members, not pedophiles (although sex crimes exist-groping on trains etc).[i][u] Schools are set up so that kids can walk to schools in groups with teacher chaperones. Trains are accurate and perfectly timed. Society has to be set up like this bc the Japanese want their workforce at work, not encumbered by school drop off. It is pretty amazing.

That is *exactly* the same in the US. Stranger child abduction in the US is extraordinarily, exceedingly, rare. And yet, for some reason, US parents are fixated on it in a way that isn't the case in most of Europe and Asia.

They are rare because most people aren't letting their young kid walk around unsupervised. If you look at most cases of children being kidnapped, raped, or found dead by a stranger most were when the kid was out playing alone unsupervised. There is no way a 5 year old is going to fight off an adult.

[Anonymous]

A lot of this can be done here. I sold DD's stroller when she was a few months shy of 3, and I carried for her only a diaper, small pack of wipes, one small snack. When she started asking to bring toys on errands, I would say "Only if you carry it". We only lost one once (she left her stuffed panda on a city bus; I told her he had gone on vacation to Florida). While I couldn't let her walk to a store from the house by herself, I could let her go INTO a store by herself with money to purchase something.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A lot of this can be done here. I sold DD's stroller when she was a few months shy of 3, and I carried for her only a diaper, small pack of wipes, one small snack. When she started asking to bring toys on errands, I would say "Only if you carry it". We only lost one once (she left her stuffed panda on a city bus; I told her he had gone on vacation to Florida). While I couldn't let her walk to a store from the house by herself, I could let her go INTO a store by herself with money to purchase something.

Isn't this normal? Mine is only 18 months and I only carry a diaper, few wipes in a ziploc, and a water cup. In a regular purse. I thought most people were past the diaper bag with their entire life it in at that point.

I will admit, the stroller makes a nice Starbucks/shopping bag holder and I don't know how I'll let it go.