‘Old Enough’
In an age where helicopter parents and overzealous local law enforcement have radically infantilized our very capable population of school-age children, the Japanese reality TV program Old Enough is a breath of fresh air. Each episode of this show focuses on a toddler (sometimes as young as 2!) who has been given permission by their parent(s) to venture off on their own to accomplish a simple errand, like heading to the market to pick up to juice or delivering a meal to their father’s workplace. Despite being followed by a small army of camera-wielding adults, these kids are a model of independence: they’re crossing streets, they’re climbing steps, they’re paying the cashiers. Averaging just a shade over 10 minutes per episode, it’s fun (and inspirational!) for the whole family.