I was walking back from some errands today, and saw a scene play out that was so familiar, though the dress and language was different. I'm sure any parent of three kids - particularly three boys - can relate.
Our residential compound is near two shrines. November is the "shichi-go-san" (7-5-3) festival month, when boys who are 5 years old and girls who are 3 and 7 years old go for a blessing. The children dress up in fancy Western clothes or traditional Japanese clothes. Brothers usually wear a dark suit (with shorts for the younger boys), and sisters a pretty dress. Dads/grandpas in dark suits and moms/grandmas in either a dark dress or a seasonally appropriate kimono. It's super fun seeing these family groups walk by.
Today I was walking home and saw to boys, maybe 7 and 9 years old, chasing each other up the street. The younger one in a short pants suit and the older one in slacks/tie/button down/v-neck sweater. Then a dad popped around the corner and yelled along the lines of, "stop running! this is a street with cars. Please walk nicely back here." I chuckled, having been in that situation so many times.
Then I got to the top of the block, and a little 5 year old in traditional Japanese dress was crying as his mom in her kimono wiped her tears. As the now chastised two older brothers stood looking at their feet, the mom scolded them again for running in the street -- and also for running around and goofing off when their little brother, on his special day, couldn't run around because he was in the fancy clothes.
And then the mom apologizing to the grandparents for the boys being crazy.
And then all three of the boys being kind of upset and what was supposed to be a happy day, ending up being stressful.
Oh, how many times have I been there? I'm pretty sure every parent in any culture can imagine that scenario. But yet, a bit more beautiful when kimonos are involved.
