Would you let your toddler out alone to run errands? Do you think they could do the shopping on their own? That's the premise of Old Enough, a Japanese TV docu-series that sends toddlers aged two to five out into the world unaccompanied.
The show has been on air in Japan for decades but it was recently acquired by Netflix. Now, 20 episodes are available on the popular streaming service, which calls it “the most wholesome show you’ve ever seen” in which Japanese toddlers are sent on simple errands, with “pure” results. Read more: Anatomy of a Scandal Netflix release date and what is the new drama series about? It pushes the boundaries of children's independence, examining what they are capable of without parental supervision.
Children as young as two and old as five are followed by the camera crew as they brave the big city alone, tasked with, for example, dropping off clothing at the dry cleaners, buying groceries from a list and delivering lunch to a parent at work.
It's strange viewing for British audiences, who aren't used to seeing toddlers riding public transport or trying to buy fish from the market.
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