Pursue a career or stay at home?

There is no consensus about the argument whether mums should stay at home for kids or go to work to gain financial independence, but the importance of the early year education is not in doubt. In terms of well-being, parents should protect their kids in their difficult times, and encourage them to experience as much as possible. Trust between parents and children is invaluable for life.

Attention from parents is a way of constructing trust between families, and taking into account this point, there is the idea that a mother stays at home for raising their children unless a family has any financial difficulties. Developing this idea in a negative way, women pursuing their career is irresponsible and selfish.

On the other hand, the recent research reveals that kids from dual-income families are more confident than peers from single-income families. Because young children who build up their own selves in a competitive environment have stronger mentality. This self-recognition boosts their willingness to learn how society works later in life.

The assumption that a child brought up by a stay-at-home mum is more attached to parents might not be wrong, but the current world is more diversified, so children should learn life skills through social interactions. It is a classic idea that men go to work and women stay at home for children.

In conclusion, children’s welfare is not a simple concept, and learning through social activities teaches the young ethics and empathy. Affection from parents is a primary connection, but this theory should not domesticate children. While both parents work outside, children are mentally strengthened by others, which makes young generations mature and independent.

Akiko Hori

The effects of mobile phones

Mobile phones are a useful tool to keep in contact with families and friends, and recently, there are various applications on smartphones to make the most of them. However, convenient equipment is a double-edged sword, and it is harmful and dangerous when children misuse this technology. Adults are responsible for how children use mobile phones, because that relates to the young generation’s future.

Research shows that more than 50% of young children, aged 13 to 16 own their mobile phones these days, and their mobile phones are highly likely to be smartphones. Those phones are bought by their parents, because many of them want to track their children’s whereabouts. Although it is possible to set up parental control, many children manage to access SNS and some inappropriate websites. Bullying on SNS is a current social problem.

As responsible adults, we should not dismiss issues above because children are future adults, so using this technology appropriately is a key for human progress. Dialogue is a conventional way where parents, teachers and professionals organise a workshop or a seminar in a public space, such as a library or a council hall. Creating awareness is also an effective way, for which handing out papers at a school gate is useful.

Society has been developing towards much advanced technology, so learning how to use a tool properly is inevitable. We should take into account advantages of this technology, because banning the young from owning mobile phones is not a solution. We should analyse what are the problems, and improvements for the better community must come first.

司法書士堀明子 – HORIakiko –
司法書士 / ビジネスコンサルタント / ライフ・コーチ
Shiho-shoshi Lawyer / Business consultant / Life coach
Email:　horiakiko@lawhelp4u.com
Tel: +81-(0)3-3249-1536　https://lawhelp4u.com/

Changes in family life

December, 2021 and January, 2022 has gone quickly, but so have the last two years in one sense. Since pandemic, time has passed with little to mark its passing. Going forward, 2020 and 2021 will be the years when our lives were reduced to staying well and getting by for most and, for many, illness and family loss. Everyone wants to get back to normal, but it might take time.

Talking about life, in the past 70 to 80 years, life in the family has significantly changed, because of mechanisation and individualism. The most important thing is that we should not be afraid of facing those problems and tackle towards constructing our better community, because this phenomenon allows women to pursue their career and to provide them financial freedom. In terms of financial independence and career paths for women in particular, advantages outweigh disadvantages.

In the past, housework and childcare were regarded as women’s work. There would be several siblings in their family, whose parents are father and mother. Mothers played an important role looking after children. Nowadays, house chores, such as washing clothes and dishes are done by machines, and that allows women to work independently. This tendency pushes the idea of individualism much harder.

The working environment creates burdens for people, who have to work for long hours and to take on huge responsibility, thus, many adults feel stressed, which causes mental problems. When they are stuck in their office, they are absent from home, so that many children stay at home alone, which makes them vulnerable. However, when adults raise the awareness and our local community supports them, the situation might improve in the near future.

In conclusion, we should not cling on to old traditions, because the thing we can do is to move forward, and there are social discrepancies in all ages. There is a bright side of a structural change of the family life.

Employers’ duties of care

In the past, employees had little right to insist on improving their working conditions. However, in recent years, this view has become outdated, and the responsibility for employers has been increasing, so that employers should consider how to let their employees work happily and vigorously.

The most important thing is that employers should value employees as people, because that is a fundamental recognition when working with a group of people in the business environment. Nowadays, the boundary between work and private life is getting vague, as the Internet allows people to work anywhere and anytime. Setting a certain rule under corporate governance is necessary, but if workers are willing to work, they can achieve a good result.

Although the point above is essential, establishing good communications between managers and players would be a productive and practical tool. Verbal communication is inevitable to proceed a project, so when managers create a close relationship with their team by talk, they can find a potential problem before it becomes serious. That also enables them to cut unnecessary legal cost.

To summarise the points above, when employers regard their employees as a valuable asset of their organisations, employees are likely to work hard to boost their outcomes. To do so, a dialogue between both parties is necessary and when they can communicate smoothly and efficiently, employers can ensure their employees keep happy and motivated.

When starting something.

When starting something, we are motivated and have a partner to help us, as a result, it is rather easy to boost it even though there are some hurdles. As always, it is hard to turn “0” into “1”, but if we have ambition, there is a strong likelihood of us getting through it.

On the other hand, when deciding to terminate something, we tend to put it off as long as possible, because we are feeling demotivated and it is often the case that there can be a falling out or a break-up behind it.

These things above are normal in business and in everyday life even, so I strongly recommend you consider in advance how you manage your affairs and cope with a thing when facing a difficulty.

You might say that “If I act in this way, nobody can start anything.”, and it is a fair comment. However, I see a lot of business owners who have a solid business plan with a risk management approach to the future, and who anticipate an unforeseeable event, and prepare for the future to some extent, even before a risk arises.

Motivation and no plan have different words and meanings.
Ambition and recklessness also have different meanings.

It is up to each individual to decide how to proceed if an event happens.
You don’t need to get upset with what I say.

I believe that the most important thing is to trust yourself.
However, there are many risks that can be avoided by being a little more careful.
Being careful in any situation and more aware of the people around you can save yourself from a lot of risks in the future.

Care for others

Life in recent years is quite different than it was decades ago. In many urban cities, sharing a flat or living in a single family unit is quite common, because, in my opinion, people are likely to focus on their privacy and independence. Many people go to urban areas to seek better life, work and entertainment. When people do so, they leave their parents in their hometown and live on their own.

In comparison, when different generations of one family live together, they can reduce the cost of living, which is one advantage. This is because the family only pays one real property tax or rent, shares food and buys daily products together. While a child is small, its mother or father can easily ask for babysitting from other family members. However, as a disadvantage, there is less privacy. A problem easily arises especially between non-biological family members.

The family is the most trustworthy and reliable institution. People sometimes forget about the kindness, hospitality and respect among close human relationships, because they are too close and easily find bad habits, disadvantages and so on. The most important thing is to care for others in human relationship.

The current language learning system in Japan and recommendations for the future improvement

The current norm
In Japan, English is regarded as a second language, so school pupils aged 11 start their English learning at school as a compulsory subject. At the same time, because of the current globalisation, many parents are very keen on their children learning English, and private tuition, such as cram schools and foreign institutions are very popular.

Likely learning methods and a tendency
The idea about learning foreign languages in the early stage of their childhood is effective because of children’s language development, but schools normally focus their students on their grammatical skills, so they tend to rely on paper-based materials. In addition, those textbooks hardly update, so some grammar and vocabulary are old-fashioned. Some private organisations invite native teachers from abroad, but the number of those is very small, thus, the tuition fee tends to be expensive.

Recommendations for improving language learning
To have a good command of English is essential under the current circumstances, so that children deserve a chance to communicate with native English speakers. To do so, online learning would be useful as well as learning at institutions. If children can access the online courses under adult supervision, that would be a great interactive way of improving their communication.

Conclusion
A basic knowledge of learning theories is essential, but not the only consideration, as practical skills are also important. What I would like to emphasise in this report is the balance between traditional methods and practical skills. When schools and organisations consider this point, children can be more sufficient language learners.

The purpose of education and the practical skills

Young people are going into society independently after their education, thus, working as an individual person requires not only knowledge but also the skill of communication with other people. Schools and universities should use some methods, such as work experience programmes and careers advice to help students to find suitable jobs.

Firstly, work experience programmes would provide a real insight into what the practical world is, because these opportunities would vary from every workplace. The environment, atmosphere and culture of the businesses are different even in the same industry. In addition, organisations which accept students under these programmes would take advantage because they can promote their businesses and also check whether students can fit into their businesses before being employed.

Secondly, the programmes above are useful for students, but those are active action, and some of the students might feel stressed and confused about their future career, so that careers advice would support their mind and motivation. Students at this age look mature, but they are still young and a support would be needed. Even though some of the teachers have no work experience, they are academic, and they can listen and talk as their pastoral care as well as careers advice.

In conclusion, work experience programmes are a win-win solution for both students and business entities, and especially students who might realise what they should learn at schools and universities. However, when they struggle with their outlook for their future, career advice will guide them their career path as well as their mental progress.

The effects of mobile phones and other technological equipment for young children.

Firstly, the word “young children” has a wide meaning, so I would like to make it clear I mean the children between aged 5-10 group and 11-17 group.

Children aged 5-10 are still small, and it would be hard for them to decide what is right and wrong properly, so using their own mobile phone is not ideal in any circumstances unless under adults’ supervision. In addition, children’s eyesight might be badly affected by the blue light which is beamed by mobile phones. The physical health of children in this age group should come first.

Although the health issue mentioned above should be prioritised for the children whose age is 11 to 17, but they are growing physically and mentally, so using their own device to some extent is needed for their social development nowadays, because many children have their own mobile as their communication tool. Getting used to the technological equipment might be useful when they become old enough, because most of the current systems are set up by computers and technology.

All of us should take account of the balance between the modern lifestyle and recent innovations. Adults have a responsibility both for children’s wellbeing and their technological interaction, and a flexible approach for young children is worth considering.

To keep the environment clean and tidy

There are many people and social activities in the urban environment, in particular, and to organise society, legislation is essential because the rule tells them how to keep it clean and tidy. Public awareness campaigns are followed by this to let as many people as possible realise the existence of the rule.

Firstly, when people come to a city, they bring their own ideas, culture and customs, which are not always welcomed by for the existing community because common decency is not always universal. That is why the law is needed, and when the public realises there is a punishment when violating the law, they become more careful. For example, when some urban local councils in Japan set a rule against smoking while walking, the smoking rate on the street became reduced.

Secondly, even if there is a rule, it would be meaningless if people didn’t know it. Public relations should be used for this purpose, and public awareness campaigns are the best option. Traditional campaigns, such as publishing it to local newspapers, putting up a poster on signboard are useful, but using online services would be more cost efficient. There are many technological ways for this publication, which are acceptable nowadays, by means of social networking, such as website, Twitter or Facebook.

In conclusion, legislation and public awareness are like the wheels of a vehicle, and when they work well, society becomes more well-balanced. When people acknowledge their local environment clean and tidy, that would be a feel-good factor for everybody, thus, everybody in the city should be involved as their responsibility.