I’ve worked in schools for over 20 years.
Japanese children can’t play like they used to.
Most students attend cram schools after school, starting in the upper grades of elementary school.
Study-conscious parents often send their children to cram schools starting in kindergarten.
As a teacher, I feel truly sorry for today’s students.
We learned many things through play as children.
There are valuable experiences that can only be gained during childhood.
Adults are to blame for the fact that children can’t play like children.
For example, I heard from a student that when they played baseball or soccer in the park, neighbors complained and called the police.
I was shocked to hear this story.
It’s been common for children to be loud in parks and other places since ancient times.
I couldn’t believe adults would call the police because children were being noisy.
This kind of brutal atmosphere is commonplace in modern Japan.
Apparently, McDonald’s is crowded with students at night on their way home from cram school.
It’s not uncommon for growing children to have fast food for dinner every night.
As I’ve written before, Japanese society is still highly academic, so this is a reality for children from a young age.
