10 Surprising Things about Parenting in Japan

[climb678]

For our Motherhood Around the World series, our second interview features photographer Yoko Inoue, who moved from Brooklyn to the Japanese countryside with her husband and son. Here are 10 things that have surprised her about being a mom in Japan...

...more...

(mod: took the liberty of adding a teensy context snippet)

[GomiGirl]

When posting a link, can you please put some context.

[Coligny]

ehm> 10 Surprising Things about Parenting in Japan
Is sort of a contextual clueish thingy mabob... thing...

Maybe he should have written slower too...

Also, maybe you should put this sign on your avatar so people know...

excellent_sd-4.jpg

and don't make me bring back the cheezeburger truck fiasco...

[Russell]

ehm> 10 Surprising Things about Parenting in Japan
Is sort of a contextual clueish thingy mabob... thing...

Maybe he should have written slower too...

Also, maybe you should put this sign on your avatar so people know...

excellent_sd-4.jpg

and don't make me bring back the cheezeburger truck fiasco...

Wasn't that the thread you made a fool of yourself?

[yanpa]

ehm> 10 Surprising Things about Parenting in Japan
Is sort of a contextual clueish thingy mabob... thing...

Maybe he should have written slower too...

Also, maybe you should put this sign on your avatar so people know...

excellent_sd-4.jpg

and don't make me bring back the cheezeburger truck fiasco...

Wasn't that the thread you made a fool of yourself?

What do you mean, "the" thread?

[Coligny]

ehm> 10 Surprising Things about Parenting in Japan
Is sort of a contextual clueish thingy mabob... thing...

Maybe he should have written slower too...

Also, maybe you should put this sign on your avatar so people know...

excellent_sd-4.jpg

and don't make me bring back the cheezeburger truck fiasco...

Wasn't that the thread you made a fool of yourself?

Pot... Kettle...

[Coligny]

ehm> 10 Surprising Things about Parenting in Japan
Is sort of a contextual clueish thingy mabob... thing...

Maybe he should have written slower too...

Also, maybe you should put this sign on your avatar so people know...

excellent_sd-4.jpg

and don't make me bring back the cheezeburger truck fiasco...

Wasn't that the thread you made a fool of yourself?

What do you mean, "the" thread?

Maybe he meant, "not on purpose that time..." Or sumthing...

[Russell]

ehm> 10 Surprising Things about Parenting in Japan
Is sort of a contextual clueish thingy mabob... thing...

Maybe he should have written slower too...

Also, maybe you should put this sign on your avatar so people know...

excellent_sd-4.jpg

and don't make me bring back the cheezeburger truck fiasco...

Wasn't that the thread you made a fool of yourself?

What do you mean, "the" thread?

Maybe he meant, "not on purpose that time..." Or sumthing...

Nope, Yanpa is right.

I have stopped counting...

[Coligny]

Yeah, you ran out of fingers to count on...

[climb678]

When posting a link, can you please put some context.

Right you are, I apologize.

[matsuki]

I’m six and a half months pregnant right now and have been going to a Japanese doctor. In New York, when I was pregnant with Motoki, my doctor warned me, "You can’t eat sushi, coffee, alcohol or raw cheese." She gave me special vitamins. My Japanese doctor says nothing about any of that! No diet restrictions at all. I did pick up flyer at the doctor’s office that said I can drink a few cups of coffee a day and a glass of alcohol.

Same for mercury laden tuna (and other fish for that matter) and we all remember forced dolphin meat school lunch program?

[Screwed-down Hairdo]

I can kinda understand why her Japanese doctor hasn't advised her not to eat alcohol or coffee...

[matsuki]

I can kinda understand why her Japanese doctor hasn't advised her not to eat alcohol or coffee...

Afraid of being blackmailed by Kirin or Doutor for hurting their business??

[Screwed-down Hairdo]

I can kinda understand why her Japanese doctor hasn't advised her not to eat alcohol or coffee...

Afraid of being blackmailed by Kirin or Doutor for hurting their business??

I laughed, but it's less sinister...um, they are kinda hard to eat, don't you think?

[matsuki]

I can kinda understand why her Japanese doctor hasn't advised her not to eat alcohol or coffee...

Afraid of being blackmailed by Kirin or Doutor for hurting their business??

I laughed, but it's less sinister...um, they are kinda hard to eat, don't you think?

au contraire mon frere...

[Screwed-down Hairdo]

au contraire mon frere...

Sorry to be pedantic, but these are only foods made using the liquids. Doesn't matter anyway....

[Russell]

Yeah, you ran out of fingers to count on...

Trying to project your math skills on me, love?

[Coligny]

Yeah, you ran out of fingers to count on...

Trying to project your math skills on me, love?

Coming from a mouthbreather who need twice the Burj Khakifa to splatter only the biggest part of his stupidity and the fact that I already stated cuntless time that I don't do math... I hope you have better than this weak sauce to help with your dinner... I'll stop there, it's not the 80' anymore it's no longer cool to pick on retards

[Russell]

Yeah, you ran out of fingers to count on...

Trying to project your math skills on me, love?

Coming from a mouthbreather who need twice the Burj Khakifa to splatter only the biggest part of his stupidity and the fact that I already stated cuntless time that I don't do math... I hope you have better than this weak sauce to help with your dinner... I'll stop there, it's not the 80' anymore it's no longer cool to pick on retards

Looks like I hit on a sensitive spot here...

[matsuki]

au contraire mon frere...

Sorry to be pedantic, but these are only foods made using the liquids. Doesn't matter anyway....

I know...but they look damn tasty!

....and back on topic

It has taken me a few years to learn that Japanese moms communicate differently than Brooklyn moms. In Brooklyn, you would meet a mom on the playground and tell her everything about what is going on in your house—problems with your husband or kids. You could be very open. It made me feel like, "I’m not alone—everyone is going through similar things." Here, if I am open, I get strange looks. It’s easy to feel like you are the only one having problems. But really, everyone is going through similar things—they just don’t share it in the same way. People really draw a line between public and private.

Snooty lemurs that think their shit don't stink is hardly a Japanese thing and I've heard of plenty of lemurs here bitching about their husbands and family life...but regardless of cuntry, it always cracks me up how some mothers (fathers as well) have no passion for anything or self confidence so they end up trying to show up everyone by pushing their children through everything they think will make them "better" instead of letting the kids decide what they're interested in.

[Screwed-down Hairdo]

Is there a more tiresome bore or bigger snob in existence than a Japanese woman who has lived for a few years in Western cuntry?

[matsuki]

Is there a more tiresome bore or bigger snob in existence than a Japanese woman who has lived for a few years in Western cuntry?

One that is lived there for only a few months

[Screwed-down Hairdo]

Is there a more tiresome bore or bigger snob in existence than a Japanese woman who has lived for a few years in Western cuntry?

One that is lived there for only a few months

[matsuki]

BTW, if you've seen some of the Japanese iphone "learn engrish" apps, you'd see what experts these people are and why they are soo much more superior than native speakers.

[J.A.F.O]

Snooty lemurs that think their shit don't stink is hardly a Japanese thing and I've heard of plenty of lemurs here bitching about their husbands and family life...but regardless of cuntry, it always cracks me up how some mothers (fathers as well) have no passion for anything or self confidence so they end up trying to show up everyone by pushing their children through everything they think will make them "better" instead of letting the kids decide what they're interested in.

I bitch about the community like a snooty lemur? kinda my passion. Do I count?

[matsuki]

Snooty lemurs that think their shit don't stink is hardly a Japanese thing and I've heard of plenty of lemurs here bitching about their husbands and family life...but regardless of cuntry, it always cracks me up how some mothers (fathers as well) have no passion for anything or self confidence so they end up trying to show up everyone by pushing their children through everything they think will make them "better" instead of letting the kids decide what they're interested in.

I bitch about the community like a snooty lemur? kinda my passion. Do I count?

That's still a passion

[J.A.F.O]

That's still a passion