If we’re serious about returning common sense to America, then we must move beyond these busybodies (and our own fears) and start encouraging a society where children are given more responsibility and independence at younger ages. How young is too young for a child to be running errands? That question is prompted in large part by the Netflix show “Old Enough!” which features Japanese preschoolers running errands for their parents.
The show appears to be raising American interest judging from the many articles written about it. Two of these articles, both from NPR, caught my eye. The first was written by a mother who started sending her four-year-old on errands in hopes that the added responsibility would put a stop to the mischief her daughter was getting into. (It worked.) The second article featured reader responses to the first article, running the gamut from parents who had succeeded in similar ventures to those who couldn’t imagine leaving their kids alone. Both articles feature a disclaimer from NPR warning that in some localities, allowing children to “run errands or go places without adult supervision may violate local laws.”
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