Kids, Ideals and Yochien in Japan

Comme Ca Du Mode stores always have mannequin kids lined up like plastic infantry. It's kind of disturbing, though not as bad a the crying baby posters at Gap stores. What's up with that? My daughter is about to start Yochien (Japanese preschool), so the school gave my wife a list of items she'll need -- complete with precise dimensions and colors for everything. Each item starts out the same, but then the mothers personalize them. Otherwise the kids won't be able to tell their little baskets and bags apart. The Yochien showed some examples of what past moms have done: like painstakingly sewing fabric lining on a wicker basket (inside and/or out). The real glory for the moms -- er, the kids -- is the smock. Kids smocks can be decorated with anything from a couple iron-ons to a full color universe of Disney characters. Some of these moms have a lot of time on their hands.

The two kids in the second picture are my daughter and her friend, Tomo-kun. Tomo-kun is also starting Yochien soon. We met Tomo-kun's family when we lived in Yokohama, and they recently piled into a van to come visit us!

Posted by jw at March 9, 2004 01:14 AM