After seeing some kids blowing bubbles at Myogadani, I dug out our extensive collection of bubble-blowing devices for Lukas & Anna. Lukas has always been very enthusiastic about blowing bubbles. This was Anna's first time doing it by herself. After a few false starts, we found a bubble-blower that worked really well for her.
The kids have been so enthusiastic about bubble-blowing that they have tried to drag us outside even when we are still in our pajamas! Fortunately, we live at the end of a dead-end street so I can leave the kids outside on their own (with the windows wide open so we can hear & see them) for short periods of time and not have to worry about vehicles.
Actually, one thing that always surprises newcomers to Tokyo is how trusting people are of their kids. It is not uncommon for very young children to play outside in the streets with their friends without parents around. Children as young as 6 will also take bicycles and even trains by themselves to go to and from school. It was such a huge contrast for us from England (& Canada these days), where we found people were so protective of children that they drive them to school even though the school is just down the street. I think this is largely due to how the media portrays crimes involving children. This is not to say that people are not worried about their children in Japan. You wouldn't believe the numbers of products on the market here for safe-guarding children, from safety charms from temples that parents attach to children's school bags to Hello Kitty rape alarms and global-positioning devices. There are some nurseries where you can check what your child is doing online via webcams.
The kids have been so enthusiastic about bubble-blowing that they have tried to drag us outside even when we are still in our pajamas! Fortunately, we live at the end of a dead-end street so I can leave the kids outside on their own (with the windows wide open so we can hear & see them) for short periods of time and not have to worry about vehicles.
Actually, one thing that always surprises newcomers to Tokyo is how trusting people are of their kids. It is not uncommon for very young children to play outside in the streets with their friends without parents around. Children as young as 6 will also take bicycles and even trains by themselves to go to and from school. It was such a huge contrast for us from England (& Canada these days), where we found people were so protective of children that they drive them to school even though the school is just down the street. I think this is largely due to how the media portrays crimes involving children. This is not to say that people are not worried about their children in Japan. You wouldn't believe the numbers of products on the market here for safe-guarding children, from safety charms from temples that parents attach to children's school bags to Hello Kitty rape alarms and global-positioning devices. There are some nurseries where you can check what your child is doing online via webcams.
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