'Old Enough' on Netflix: Experts Weigh in on Toddlers Running Errands Alone

"Old Enough" on Netflix has been taking viewers and social media netizens by storm following its release on the streaming platform on Friday, April 1, 2022. The series follows toddlers who are left alone to complete errands like grocery shopping or delivering an item at the fish market.

The show from Japan is based on a children's book, and it has been running on Japanese TV for more than 30 years. Netflix has only 20 episodes so far, with the series filmed in 2009.  

The first episode, running 10 minutes, is a simple introduction of what the show is about for first-time viewers. It features a 2-year-old who was sent by his mom to the grocery store a few miles away across town to buy curry, seaweed, and flowers all by himself. The boy manages to complete the task though he almost forgot the curry. 

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Another episode features a 3-year-old whose parents asked him to go to the fish market. Yuka had to cross a five-lane road by himself. Another episode focused on a little girl who got scared to complete her errand because dogs were on her path. After more encouragement from her parents, she was able to complete her task as well.

Kids By Themselves is Typical in Japan

Hironori Kato, a University of Tokyo professor, told Slate that it's typical for children in Japan to go to school on foot without their parents. Japanese kids are given independence at such an early age, and local governments have designed roads and pathways to make it safe for kids to walk in town. 

The professor also said that Japanese drivers are expected to "yield to pedestrians," and many districts observe low-speed limits to avoid accidents. Street sidewalks are also free of obstruction so that drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians can share the road no matter their ages. 

However, Kato emphasized that it is not typical for toddlers to run errands for their parents, as presented on "Old Enough" on Netflix. But the independence for school-age kids around seven years old and above follows an age-old cultural belief among the Japanese that children should be encouraged to get around on their own. In contrast, in America, parents could be investigated by Child Protective Services for child neglect if they allowed their school-age kids on the streets without any adult companions. 

Criticisms from the Experts

Tanith Carey, an author of many parenting books, has some reservations about "Old Enough" on Netflix because she thinks that some of the tasks given to the toddlers are not appropriate for their development. She said it becomes taxing and a lot less fun when kids are made to do tasks they are not exactly ready for. 

Psychologist Dr. Alison McClymont told OK! that "Old Enough" on Netflix borders on exploitation because the show was put together specifically for entertainment. The Guardian reported that the series aims to present toddlers' possibility of doing errands. Before they do so, however, the production talks to the neighbors, the people on the streets, and everyone involved in producing the episode. After the filming, the children aren't doing more errands. That stops as the filming stops, and each child is only asked to do the work one time.

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