Opinion Elephants On a Rampage By JOHN GATHRIGHT	フレームで見る  英文をプリントする  脚注をプリントする
2001年2月9日付論説 カナダに住む筆者のめいは、自分でお金を稼ぎ、 航空券の手配もして、来日した。 それを知った日本の大人たちは、 「たった12歳なのにそんなことができるとは…」と 驚いていたが、親が機会さえ与えれば 日本の子供も同じことができるのではないだろうか。

Almost six weeks ago my 12- year-old niece Bailey arrived in Japan for a vacation. She baby-sat, did house cleaning and even delivered newspapers to earn her flight fare. She contacted the school to get her homework assignments and made her own travel arrangements and passport preparations.

Although my family is all very proud of her, we weren't surprised by her efforts or success. But, as parents living in Japan, the reactions of other Japanese parents to her accomplishments have been a real eye-opener for us. Everywhere we go, Japanese parents seem to go to great pains to compare her with their own children. Sometimes to extremes, even putting down their own kids in front of Bailey.

"Wow, she is only 12 and she came to Japan all by herself! My daughter could never do that! She can't even get to school by herself."

We took her to a local school and the principal announced that none of his kids could ever do what she did. I appreciated their comments, but they seemed to have the opposite effect on Bailey and the other children.

Bailey is a wonderful girl, but the constant comparison of Japanese and Canadian preteen maturity started to annoy her. The other night she blurted out, "Why do all these people say that Japanese 12-year-olds can't do what I did!? Anyone can. I haven't done anything special."

As a parent, her words hit home. I couldn't help but agree. What she was saying is that parents have the power to create self-fulfilling prophecies for our children.

I recalled the huge elephants used for labor that I saw in India. When not being forced to carry goods and tourists, these elephants were tied up with flimsy rope to feeble poles.

Our guide explained, "To truly make a pole and chain strong enough to hold back an elephant is very expensive and time-consuming, so a mental chain is created."

He told us that when the elephant is still very small, a rope is fastened to them. No matter how hard the young elephant pulls on the rope and pole, it doesn't have the strength to break it. After a while, the elephant gives up and stops trying to test its strength against the rope. In its mind the rope is impossible to break! Even though it grows to a great size and has the strength to break ropes and chains many times stronger, it doesn't even try. It is not the flimsy pole and weak rope that holds it back, it is the mental chain that keeps it a prisoner.

Don't they sometimes get angry and break free? Our guide answered, "Sometimes something just snaps and all of a sudden they go berserk. Then they go on a rampage and they have to be shot! It is sad!"

If adults are pessimistic about the abilities of youth and don't create opportunities for them to challenge themselves, then are we not creating mental chains that imprison children with low self-confidence, low self- pride and low self-worth? It is often said that low self-esteem is a breeding ground for violence.

As parents and teachers, let's encourage our children to travel, work part-time jobs, test their abilities and tear away mental chains in a positive way. I wonder if the recent escalation of teenage violence is not similar to elephants on a rampage. If children cannot find positive ways to break free, they may find other ways.

Shukan ST: Feb. 9, 2001

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