Taking Care of Children

By Kumiko Takahashi

I have worked at a Child Care Center as a volunteer in both the U.S. and Japan. Through these experiences I realized that there are quite a few differences in ways of taking care of children at preschool, such as wearing uniforms, playing outside, or making children eat many kinds of food. These are differences of culture, character, and ways of thinking in the two countries.

First, children don’t wear a uniform for school in the U.S., whereas they do in Japan; children wear a hat, a jacket and pants. The design of the uniform usually depends on the school. It is from the Japanese character that people value unity.

Uniforms also show which school the children belong to.

In contrast, children wear whatever they want for school in the U.S. Americans value expression of identity more than unity.

Next, there are differences in the ways children play and in their toys. In Japan, people prefer to make children play outside instead of staying indoors. In addition, children usually play without any equipment -- games such as footrace, hide and seek, or push and shove. These activities make children strong and sturdy.

In the U.S. people use familiar equipment like a computer. It is good to teach children how to use a computer because they’ll have to know how to use it for their future or their jobs, although people don’t teach it to children in Japan.

There is one more small difference between the two countries. In the U.S when children want to draw something, they use markers. It’s easy to draw, and they can paint themselves for fun. The markers’ bright colors make children more creative.

In addition, these markers use water-based ink, which washes out easily. On the other hand, in Japan, children use crayons or colored pencils to draw. When they use pencils, for example, they can learn how to sharpen a pencil. Although they can’t draw or paint on their hand with these items, their hands will be cleaner than they would be if they used markers

Finally, there is a difference in the lunch time. In Japan, when a child refuses to eat food he or she dislikes, such as carrots, onions, or green peas, teachers try to persuade and make the child eat them. On the other hand, in the U.S., teachers don’t even serve it if children complain about the food. Japanese teachers try to make children’s dislikes less and less, but American teachers think that it’s part of the child’s character.

These are very small differences, but are very interesting too. I think both approaches are good for taking care of children because both Japanese and American ways of teaching have good points, and both groups of teachers think about children carefully. Whatever ways people choose to take care of chilren, thinking about children’s growth or future and teaching them the right things are most important.

Editor's Note: This year Kumiko Takahashi worked several hours a week as a volunteer for the BHK Child Care Center at the Ryan School, Hancock. Kumiko wrote this essay for Suzanne Van Dam's ESL Writing Class during spring semester.