Would You Send Your Four-Year-Old to the Store Alone?

Parents are stressed out. Kids are anxious. We spend too much time staring at screens and it's affecting our mental health. So what's the answer?

It might just be giving kids more independence.  Studies show that kids who are given more freedom to plan their own activities are better in social situations and controlling their emotions, whereas young adults who aren't given much independence have more mental health issues.

Canadian show sends little kids on big errands

In Japan, it's not uncommon to see young children running errands, something that shocked North American viewers of the hit show Old Enough, which chronicled preschoolers crossing busy roads and shopping for groceries. The show has made its way to Canada and is airing on TVO. Narrated by Canadian comedian Colin Mochrie of Whose Line It Is Anyway? fame, each episode tasks children ages three to six with completing simple errands on their own while secretly being filmed.

What would happen if you sent your five-year-old to drop off winter accessories to her sister at the daycare and then go to the seamstress to have a pair of pants hemmed? Can a three-year-old really walk to and from the convenience store and remember the list of snacks to pick up solo?

While most parents agree that kindergarteners are too young to run errands, watching it happen in a safe environment is inspiring.

Two families from Old Enough shared their experiences after sending their little ones out into the world. “When Stephane and I first saw the show Old Enough, it was the Japanese format and we both loved it and we thought what an amazing concept to watch these little young people do the job of what would normally be done by an older child, or in most cases an adult,” said David Clemmer, whose five-year-old son Simon took part in the social experiment.

Old Enough families share their experiences

“We loved the empowerment that it gave these little people, and also the pride that they felt when they accomplished or at least tried to accomplish this adult task normally performed by an adult. It was just wonderful to see how these children had this new instant confidence and to be able to instill that in a young child is rare and priceless, but also extremely entertaining to watch.”

Even though the kids embark on their adventures by themselves, members of the television crew are covertly disguised as crossing guards, road crews and passersby to ensure the children’s safety. However, the parents have to wait at home… patiently. The experience is challenging not only for the children but their guardians too.

“Luther has always been a kid who marches to the beat of his own drum, so I thought this would be an opportunity to force myself out of my comfort zone and allow him some freedom,” said mom Lesley Billingsley of her three-year-old son, who was also featured on the show. “I was absolutely terrified the entire time! Even knowing there was a team in place to supervise and ensure his safety, my stress was through the roof, to put it mildly. Luther really had no idea he was being filmed—he is very observant, but he was so focused on the mission.”

In fact, the crew did such a good job of blending in that it caused some confusion later on. “After we finished at the market, Simon and I headed home, and the crew followed in afterward. At that point, Simon asked me if I could come into his room with him for a moment and asked me a very concerning question: 'Why are some of the people from the market here in our house?'” Clemmer explained.

Lesley Billingsley said she learned a lot from being on the show. “Luther is capable of doing hard things and I need to give him more opportunities to navigate difficult situations on his own… with me nearby!” Michael Billingsley added, “My son is more capable than I realize. Even in his apprehension in the beginning, he was able to persevere and fulfill a tough task for him.”

The kids featured in the show were successful in their missions… for the most part. Aside from some crushed potato chips (because they were dragged home in a bag) and a few forgotten details (like which flavours of ice cream each family member wanted), all the little participants made it to and from their destinations and gained a huge sense of accomplishment and pride along the way.

“I felt a bit sad at first that you weren’t with me because I missed you, but it was pretty fun and easy,” Simon said to his parents after filming wrapped. “All you have to do is ask people for help—they know where everything is because they work there.” When asked if he thinks that he’s old enough to run errands again, he replied, “Yeah, but I don’t just have to go to the same stores. I can buy all stuff from different stores. It’s the same thing. Easy.”