Japanese parenting totally perplexes me.
On the one hand, Japanese children are the most well behaved, adorable little cherubs ever. The smallest of toddlers will clamber into a seat at my cafe and sit perfectly calmly and quietly and eat a full meal with no distractions or toys to amuse them. (My brother still has problems with this and he is 18.) Primary school children walk to school alone at 6am. You never hear japanese babies cry.
However, the parenting is like everything you've ever heard in the uk reversed! Babies do not have a set bedtime. A lot of the time, japanese couples, with their 1or 2year old babies in tow will arrive just in time for last orders! I remember 9pm being a late nigh tfor me when I was 11! Also, the amount these kids eat is atrocious. I struggle with the size of the curry rice we serve, yet kids the same size as the plate are expected to finish every bite.
There doesnt seem to be a 'healthy routine' pandemic here, and there are no hoots given about health and safety, or getting your 5a day.
Perhaps the west has it alll wrong; after all Japan keeps pumping out the most hardworking, clever and awesome at computer gaming children in the world.
Or maybe the kids just turn out like that to try to impress the busy
parents who they never see.
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