<
https://theconversation.com/japans-old-enough-and-australias-bluey-remind-us-our-kids-are-no-longer-free-range-but-we-can-remake-our-neighbourhoods-187698>
"In the popular Japanese TV series
Old Enough, very young children are sent
out into their neighbourhood on their first solo errand. The release of this
long-running series on Netflix this year created a buzz among Western viewers
about children travelling around their neighbourhoods on their own when only
two to four years old.
Some viewers felt it would be challenging, if not impossible, in their own
neighbourhoods to give children such liberty. Many expressed longing for a time
when children in their countries had similar freedoms.
Old Enough is an eye-opener for viewers outside Japan.
Another popular TV show,
Bluey, depicts the realities of children’s transport
in Australia today. The family’s young children are mostly seen travelling in
the back seats of their parents’ 4x4s, roaming only houses or childcare
centres.
In one episode, the father recalls a time when at age 10 he and his peers
roamed freely on BMX bikes around a holiday town. His children are shocked that
he walked alone to a campsite shower block (“hey, it was the 80s!”).
The contrasts with Japan raise the question: how can we rethink our cities so
children can once again get around safely on their own and benefit from diverse
neighbourhood experiences?"
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
