It was another casual day of ignoring the impending doom of finals by browsing Netflix when I came upon this show. The episode duration was short (12-14 minutes on average) with 20 episodes uploaded for now. I started watching it as just another way of wasting time but actually ended up being addicted and emotionally invested in the story of these toddlers running errands!
Old Enough is a reality show based in Japan. It features toddlers from ages two to five, going out in the real world and running errands for the very first time. They buy groceries, deliver goods to neighbours and relatives and visit the dry cleaners for a fresh and clean jacket. According to Google, this show has been airing since 1991 but it has only recently captured the attention of Netflix users.
Responsibility Ahoy!
But doesn’t the idea of sending toddlers out of their homes sound unsafe? Is it not dangerous?
Well, that depends. According to this article, children from different cultures are used to helping out their older family members with many chores and errands. While some errands appear daunting to these children, the triumph on their faces upon completion is unmatched. Not only do these errands make them feel more responsible and confident, but it also gives them more autonomy in terms of making decisions. For example, in Episode 8 (as uploaded on Netflix), the child-on-errand, while walking home after buying all the goods he was asked to, treats himself to a can of soda and even buys one as a present for his mother!
This show is also a great way for toddlers and children to understand the real world a little better. It is a source of inspiration for both the kids (who are spoilt by their parents) and the parents (who coddle their children a little too much for anyone’s benefit).
A Different Demographic
And yes, I will admit it- not just for parents and kids, but this show is rather addictive to me, too. And I am not a child (well, debatable!) and neither do I have kids of my own. How does it appease me, a twenty-year-old girl with no plans for a future family?
For me, this show helps me keep my inner child alive. Just watching those little tykes dawdle on the roads, the sound of their squeaky shoes resounding through the neighbourhood as they perform mundane tasks in their own charming ways makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. It is one of the most wholesome reality shows I have watched in a while. I believe Old Enough is good enough for audiences of all types. Its pace is slow enough to allow you a respite from all those action-driven shows and movies while also being fast enough to not make it feel boring and stretched.
Culturally Educational
One thing I did not count on before I started watching this show was how educational it will be. I assume this show is for kids, starring kids and therefore, the creators have filled it with small tidbits about Japan, its geography and culture. All the episodes start by giving an introduction to the region being showed: explaining its local culture, trade and market, agriculture and food habits, and a general idea of the community. This helps establish the protagonist toddler of that particular episode in their environment and allows us to understand the context better. Not to mention, I know 4 more Japanese words after having watched the show and I will brag about it.
Apart from all of this, the added bonus of watching the show has been the cuteness level of all episodes. The toddlers, their body language, voice and overall behaviour are beyond adorable. Just hearing them talk to themselves while on the road melts my heart.
One key takeaway from this show for me has been how proud they feel after completing an errand- this goes both for the parents and the children. Such things remind us to compliment ourselves after we have successfully completed a task that we were intimidated by. It also reminds us to compliment the children–or any young person/subordinate–when they have accomplished something, to help keep their spirits alive. Old Enough on Netflix might just be a children’s reality show but I believe it is for everyone to watch and enjoy. You are never old enough to stop watching Old Enough.