Show Society to Children Who Are School-Refusers or Have Developmental Differences

I feel like summer vacation just ended, and now September is already almost over. The days are passing by so fast it's shocking😱

I wondered if it was just my age, but my elementary school daughter feels the same way. Maybe when the times move fast, time itself feels like it's moving faster too💦

I thought I should cherish each and every day... but I was so sleepy today that it was a completely lazy day.
I'm sleepy every day.


The other day, I went to a Japan Self-Defense Forces public event that my son wanted to attend.
This time it was the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force. Vehicle displays, marches, and mock combat training were open to the public.

My son's interest comes entirely from games, but
boys especially seem to like things like survival games, don't they?

I can't help but connect them to reality, so I'm not a fan of these combat-style games, but
my son seems to see them entirely as a game world.

(Apparently, there are no mental health issues as long as there is a clear distinction between games and reality.)

We also got to watch the mock combat training, and seeing them use blank cartridges to recreate a combat scene
was so intense it felt like a movie.

With the sound of gunfire ringing out, and considering the current world situation, I couldn't help but wish that this would only ever remain a mock training exercise.

In the midst of all this, my son, who is in his third year of junior high and at that age, was approached by a public relations officer and taken to the JSDF booth.

Since he's at the age where he's thinking about his future path, and he seemed interested in becoming a reserve self-defense official (a civilian who undergoes training and testing to serve as support in the field, like Yasuko),

I thought it wouldn't hurt to broaden his horizons, so I decided to listen to the recruitment talk.

The PR officer asked him, "Do you know anything about the work of the Self-Defense Forces?"

My son replied, "I don't know."

Hey, come on! You know way more about it than I do!

While looking at a brochure with a bright image that looked like a university guide (!), we heard about the work and training of the JSDF and the routes to enlist,

and when asked, "Do you have any questions?", I asked the things I was curious about on behalf of my silent son (oops).

Is it okay if I have developmental characteristics?
To that question,

they said that if you undergo the necessary training and pass the exams, enlistment is possible, and after that, you are assigned work according to your aptitude.

In short, the minimum requirement is having the ability to pass the necessary training and exams, and after that, your assignment is decided based on the work that matches your abilities.

And regarding reserve self-defense officials,
you can apply from the age of 18, and if you pass the necessary training and exams for that as well,
you will be called up as a reserve self-defense official.

By the way, it seems that even just taking one day of reserve self-defense official training pays a salary, so it's recommended for college students because you gain skills and earn more money than a part-time job.

After hearing that, I looked at my son, wondering if he was interested,

He said, "If I were to do it, I'd do the reserve self-defense force," so he let his imagination run a little, and I think it served as one piece of material for him to learn about society.😊

Children who stop going to school, or who have developmental differences or are sensitive,
often struggle with interacting with others or tend to withdraw, so they end up living in their own narrow worlds.

Neurotypical children broaden their horizons through club activities and friendships,
(that's what they call youth, right?😚)

For children in the minority, that is difficult. They struggle with having foresight,
or they can't imagine themselves in the future, so

it's important to let them have experiences that help them learn about society by connecting it to things they are interested in.

That said, there's no need to overthink it,

participating in events they are interested in, like a backyard tour of an aquarium,
listening to a zookeeper's talk at the zoo,
participating in a museum workshop, or factory tours also seem good.

Any experience that allows them to feel close to jobs or adults working will become a trigger for them to think about their future.

Even to make use of their likes and strengths,
they can't imagine it if they don't know what kind of jobs exist.

In the end, thinking about career paths or choosing a high school,
that changes depending on what kind of path they want to take after that.

Of course, it depends on the child's physical and mental state, so it's fine to watch how they are doing, but

I think it's good to suggest something that might interest the child during summer vacation or weekends when their mood is calm.

You should definitely make use of field trips at school or alternative places,
or events at after-school day services, as long as the child doesn't mind.

Seeing with their own eyes, listening to stories,
what they feel in that space,
and the encounters and experiences with people. Such experiences lead to a child's growth.

The virtual world is fine, but
I want them to have many real-life experiences!

Since they were born on Earth, after all,
as a mother, I want them to see, touch, and feel many different things.

Likes and comments are encouraging✨
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angie