The premise of Old Enough!, a Japanese reality show streaming on Netflix is simple. In 10-minute episodes a tiny kid sets off to complete the child’s first errand alone. (Well, “alone,” with the cameramen.)
Get your earbuds ready and go for a walk today and listen to
this podcast episode, First Errand on 99% Invisible, based upon the show.
(Here’s the transcript if you’d prefer to read.)
It’s about everything we want for kids, for everyone on our streets – safety from drivers, and streets designed for human mobility.
Needless to say, the show couldn’t be set in the United States.
Parents who have allowed young kids independence to play alone have been arrested, or at the very least are labeled terrible parents. This paranoia about kids’ safety in general, and especially on our streets says a lot about our culture.
Only 10% of American kids walk to school, compared with over 80% of kids in Japan. Kids start walking to school in Japan at a very early age, because they CAN. Roads and street networks are designed for kids to walk. Drivers in Japan are taught to yield to pedestrians. Speed limits are low. Neighborhoods have small blocks with lots of intersections. And there is little or no street parking in neighborhoods.
Everyone should be able to safely, REALLY safely walk on American streets.
Streets designed for kids are safe for everyone.
The possibility – solutions exist!
Onward~
Polli Schildge – editor