While many Americans don’t let their kids out of their sight until they’re well into the later grades of middle school, things are very different in Japan. There, kids ride the subways alone at the age of nine and go to the store by themselves, even if the store is really far away. And kids running errands is so common—and comical—that there’s even a TV show that’s devoted entirely to watching tiny tots doing seemingly age-inappropriate tasks while hidden cameras record them. And it’s been running for 25 years.
The above clip, which is currently blowing up all over the internet, shows just one such episode of the show (the title of which translates to My First Task). But these kids aren’t just doing it for the fame and fortune, they really are very independent. Citylab reports that that’s because Japan’s crime rate is low, kids are taught to take care of themselves at a young age by cleaning their classrooms and serving meals to other students instead of relying solely on adults, and they also know that if need be, they can ask most adults for help in completing their tasks or getting to their destination.
Citylab points out that Japanese subways and buses aren’t crime-free, of course; there’s still the chance that a girl or young woman will be spoken to or touched inappropriately. But, according to a parent who allows her nine-year-old to travel the subways on his own, it’s much safer than New York or London. And it’s not about confidence and self-assuredness as much as it is about recognizing that the world at large (at least in Japan) can be trusted. That’s why you can watch the little girl in this clip be a total boss without feeling guilty or worried about her safety. Trust us, she’s doing fine. (Her brother’s probably okay, too.)
(Via Citylab)