TikTok captures the difference between kids in Japan vs. America
This fascinating video shows how much more independence young children in Japan have than children in America!
Ever wondered what it’s like growing up in Japan? TikToker Timm Chiusano (@timmchiusano) is here to show you, and the differences might surprise you. In a recent video, Timm revealed the differences between growing up in Japan versus America, showing how young kids in Japan have much more independence than is typical in America.
The video begins with Timm explaining that, while riding the train in Japan, he noticed an unexpected sight. A young girl, who he estimated to be about 6 years old, was riding the train with who he thought was her mom. But when the train stopped, the 6-year-old got off all by herself, while the older woman stayed on the train.
Timm recalls feeling shocked that the woman allowed the 6-year-old to leave on her own. After that incident, Timm started seeing kids all by themselves seemingly everywhere.
“We started to notice pretty young kids out by themselves everywhere,” he recalls. “Kids that, in a lot of cases, were younger than [my daughter], Evelyn.”
On his last night in Japan, Timm made a new friend who explained the strange phenomenon. “Children can commute to school and do errands at a very young age,” Timm recalls learning. “It’s just that safe in Japan.”
“The really young ones [wear] yellow hats,” he explains. “That’s both for safety in crosswalks and to let adults know they might need a little extra help.”
“In Japan, the idea is that the children are the collective responsibility of society to keep safe,” Timm notes. “Children in Japan have an extraordinary amount of independence because they have decided as a society it is their collective responsibility to keep their children safe. It’s a choice they made.”
Viewers were inspired by Timm’s video, and many wondered why we can’t adopt similar cultural norms in America.
“It takes a village! I always keep an eye on little ones that are not mine,” one viewer wrote.
“As an American mom, I am heartbroken that we don’t have that for our kids,” one mom commented.
“This makes me both happy and sad,” wrote another viewer.
What do you think of the differences between how kids are treated in Japan and America?
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