Toddlers Run Errands Alone in Show New to Netflix

Summary

"Old Enough," a Japanese television show featuring toddlers running errands alone, has been adapted for Netflix, sparking discussions among parents and experts about child independence and development.

Abstract

The show "Old Enough" has garnered attention for its unique premise, where young children are filmed completing tasks such as grocery shopping or walking home by themselves. Having been a success in Japan for three decades, its recent release on Netflix has introduced it to a broader audience. The program uses a light-hearted tone, complete with sound effects and laugh tracks, to engage viewers as the children navigate their mini-adventures. While some experts believe in the benefits of teaching children self-reliance, others question the appropriateness of the tasks for the children's developmental stages, highlighting the importance of choosing activities that match their capabilities.

Opinions

Tanith Carey, an author on child development, supports the idea of children being taught to do more for themselves, suggesting it can build confidence and self-esteem.
Carey emphasizes that the tasks children are asked to perform must be appropriate for their developmental stage, indicating a significant caveat to the support for

Toddlers Run Errands Alone in Show New to Netflix

The first episode opens with a mother giving her two-year-old son instructions on how to use his safety flag when a car is coming.

“Bye-bye,” the toddler said repeatedly as he waved to his mother and ambled down the driveway.

The Japanese television program, called Old Enough, is now on Netflix. It has apparently been a hit on Japanese television for thirty years.

The show takes a light-hearted approach as it follows toddlers on errands like going to the grocery store. Sound effects and laugh tracks played as the two-year-old boy mentioned above stood at the entrance of the grocery store as the automatic doors opened and closed, until he decided instead to wander to the quarter machines hoping for candy or a toy.

In other episodes, a little girl is sent to the fish market, a toddler eventually followed his mother’s instructions to walk home alone and make lemonade, and a three-year-old boy and girl are given a list of errands which includes climbing 202 stair steps.

Insider reported that the two experts they spoke with disagreed on whether the show represented a good thing, though this should not be assumed an even sampling of childhood development experts.

“I broadly support the idea that children should be taught to do more for themselves… When children feel confident, it builds self-esteem. But — and this is a very big ‘but’ — the tasks that adults ask them to perform have to be appropriate for their development. (Tanith Carey, author of What’s My Child Thinking?)