Netflix’s Old Enough series may melt your heart as viewers watch toddlers run their first-ever errands without the help of their parents.
The Japanese show has left some viewers are over the moon about these young children. But why?
Despite Netflix’s Old Enough only recently airing on the streaming service, the show has had a long history.
It captures the lives of small children and their families, and how the young ones are tasked with completing errands in the big wide world – completely alone.
What is Old Enough about?
Old Enough has a history of 30 years. As The Guardian reports, the series releases two three-hour shows per year.
The show follows children between the ages of two and four. The kids are sent by their parents to complete simple households tasks around the streets of Japan.
Hold on, it does not end here. During their task, these children leave their homes and without the help, they have to manage the outside world by themselves.
The essence of the program is that parents do not provide them with written notes, but instead verbally tell them what they need from the store.
There are funny and heartwarming moments, such as when the little ones forget what they have to buy.
During the 10-minute episodes, the toddlers go on to complete their first-ever tasks.
Even though they are still technically supervised by the camera crew, you’ll be surprised how savvy they are.
The first season available on Netflix was filmed in 2013. The show is made up of segments which focus on one child at a time.
Viewers can’t stop gushing over it – “it’s the cutest show”
It has only been a few days since the series premiered on Netflix, but there have been tons of comments from people who are as amazed by the capabilities of the tots.
One instinct whenever someone sees a toddler by themselves may be to think that they are lost or need help. However, it could be eye-opening to think of other cultures implementing these chores at such a young age.
As some Twitter users are gushing over the cuteness overload, some others have already joked they’ll start implementing these tasks with their children.
Watching old enough on Netflix and this has me watching in amazement as two plus toddlers navigate the real world doing errands.😯
— Ose_xoxo (@IamOsee) April 12, 2022
Watching netflix old enough is addicting 🤣🤣. These little kids are so smart, just do a daily errand but things got messy 😂😂
— HOTTESTJAMMING#KIZUNAGTT (@BucinYonapi) April 12, 2022
please watch old enough! on netflix it’s so adorable like this show is giving ME baby fever… they’re all sooo cute and sweet and determined and capable!! angel children running errands for their families by themselves and building up their confidence!!
— PR rep for blind (2022) (@taecachance) April 12, 2022
After watching Netflix's Old Enough, I'm gonna send the children out on all my errands, they've had it too darn easy for too long
— Megan Robinson (@threadnz) April 12, 2022
Japanese toddlers are the cutest ever. Watching them on Netflix’s old enough melts my heart.
— Spring Water 💦💦 (@yemistik) April 11, 2022
The reason why toddlers in Japan are so independent
For Western countries, it may be hard to envision a two-year-old walking around in the streets by themselves.
Which makes us think: how safe are the streets of Japan for small children to walk alone?
According to Kato, a professor at the University of Tokyo, the streets of Japan are built specifically so that children can walk safely, he told Slate.
“In Japan, many kids go to neighborhood schools on foot and by themselves, that’s quite typical,” he said.
Japanese streets are also small and drivers are told to yield to pedestrians by keeping a low-speed limit.
That gives parents peace of mind when it comes to allowing children to start being independent at a young age.
Curious to see an example? Check out the video below:
Old Enough is the most wholesome show you’ve ever seen — in this unscripted series, Japanese toddlers (ages 2-5) are sent on simple errands to help their parents and the results are just so pure.
20 episodes are now on Netflix.
— Netflix (@netflix) April 11, 2022
