Knowledge will push you forward someday.

I previously wrote an article about how I was deeply impacted by the radio appearances and YouTube videos of educator Yuichi Kudo.

My current style of

not feeling unnecessarily sorrowful or inferior about school non-attendance, and just doing what we can

is largely encouraged by Mr. Kudo's philosophy.

So, when I am lost about the future or when my anxiety grows, he is one of the people I rely on for support regarding my children's education.

Today, I would like to talk about when I introduced Mr. Yuichi Kudo to a certain mother.

She was someone whose child was showing signs of school non-attendance.

*This article is based on actual events, with some content changed and reconstructed to ensure that individuals cannot be identified.

I only introduced him.

"There is a teacher like this, and while he won't solve our problems for us, it is a relief to me that there is a teacher in the field of education with this kind of thinking."

In the middle of casual small talk.

With that kind of nuance, I simply introduced Mr. Kudo's name and mentioned that he has a YouTube channel.

I didn't say anything like, "Check out this video!" or "Look at these words!" or "Use this know-how!" at all.

Of course, I did this not as a professional, but simply as a parent of a child who refuses to go to school.

I just modestly said, "I have been saved by this teacher's words."

A few days later, I received a message from that mother saying, "Thank you for telling me about Mr. Kudo back then!"

Huh?
What could she be talking about?

When I asked for more details.

It seems that when she was contacted by the school teacher, she got a hint from one of Mr. Kudo's videos and asked the teacher, "Could you try this method?"

The teachers accepted that and decided to give it a try.

As a result, the child started heading toward school little by little, and there were even days when they attended.

I am by no means the type of person who thinks that "going to school is all that matters no matter what."

However, hearing the mother's bright voice and the story of her child starting to head to school on their own, not by force, I replied without any hesitation, "That's wonderful!"

Hmm,
hehehe.

It is a happy thing to hear stories like this.

Well, anyway.
More than the result, what made me happy was that in this mother,
the feeling that "there is still something I can do"
must have been born.

Information and knowledge alone cannot move people.

Of course, it goes without saying that Mr. Kudo's various experiences, achievements, and his ability to convey them are wonderful.

The ones who actually worked hard and were wonderful were the mothers themselves.

And the children who were gently pushed and headed to school on their own feet.

And also, the school teachers who, upon the mother's consultation, said, "Well, shall we try it?" and put it into action.

Furthermore, I do not think this is something that will always produce the same results for everyone at any time.

I think this is a story about how that happened to be the trigger for this particular child.

The ability to decide that the method might suit the child was only possible because there was a mother who watches her child closely every day.

Parent's perspective x Child's effort x School teachers x Mr. Kudo's know-how

And one more thing,

timing.

I think all of these came together.

That is why I don't think it's right to just end this sequence with
“I'm glad you went to school!”
(though I do think it was a good thing).

I want to state in advance that even if someone who reads this thinks,
“I'll try doing the same thing!”
it does not necessarily mean they will get the same result.

After all, if there were know-how that worked for all 350,000 people who are truant, and if it were possible to create such a thing, there wouldn't be so many people struggling with truancy.

Knowledge will give you a push someday.

What I feel deeply when I hear this story, and in my daily life, is this.

Information and knowledge shared about truancy are not things that can be easily labeled as "correct" or "incorrect."



However,
the state of the person or family at that time,
the child's characteristics,
the relationship with the school,
the timing.


Whether that information or knowledge fits those things—

I feel that is truly a case-by-case matter.

That is why, lately, I have often come to feel that I would rather know and share stories about
“There is also this way of thinking”
than stories about
“If you do this, it will be fine.”

Above all, it is because I feel that I myself am standing in this place right now precisely because of that.

Information, knowledge, and the efforts you make are not always immediately useful, but they are never in vain.

Things that weren't immediately useful might,
months or years later,
“Can I use what I heard back then now?”
“This is similar to that story. Maybe I'll try it.”
I believe they can gently give someone a push.

That may no longer be the same thing as the original knowledge or information.

But I am sure it will become a reliable wisdom that only that person can use, mixed with their own experiences, daily struggles, and the various stories of many different people.