We are a bicultural family and we joined Magome Kyodo Hoikusho in 2021. We were not only attracted to the freedom and fun that we saw for the babies on Observation Day, but the warmth and the prospect of community that Magome offered.

When we chose our residence, the main consideration was convenience for commuting. Until our son was born, we didn’t spend much time exploring the streets and parks. Our neighborhood had no special meaning for us. Now we not only know all the best parks within biking distance, but we know where patches of edible herbs grow, the walls that are good for balancing, and the hills that are good for running. We run into friends in the park and on the train. We have people that will gather for a picnic on a random weekend or to visit a science museum or take a camping trip. We have connections to our neighborhood and neighbors that we didn’t imagine before joining Magome. 

It’s a given that the kid to kid relationship and the teacher to kid relationship will grow. They spend hours each day playing, fighting, making up, and then doing it all again. Magome extends the possibilities of relationship growth to teacher to parent, parent to parent, and kid to other parents.

In the beginning, the number of people we interacted with at drop-off and pick-up was a bit overwhelming. There were new families like us, veteran families, teachers, and a whole bunch of energetic kids running around. It was a lot, but the atmosphere was welcoming. Parents, teachers, and kids greeted us and our baby. They wanted to get to know us and help us adjust. The most stiffness and formality was between the new parents as we got to know each other. With time everyone loosened up. We ate and chatted together at the bimonthly meetings. We helped plan and participated in various events. Neighborhood families started meeting up on weekends for playdates in the park. As our son grew, the radius of our activities grew. Families gathered for museums, festivals, hiking, and camping trips. Often teachers joined in on these outings in their free time. There is eagerness and openness to spending time together and developing relationships at Magome.

The building of these relationships enables teachers and parents to work in partnership. We can celebrate when things go well and discuss when things go wrong. If there is a problem, we can come together to troubleshoot rather than look to blame. 

Having friendly and comfortable relationships between the adults benefits the kids. They have a bevy of adults around to look out for them, talk with them, and play with them. Parents can feel comfortable helping, chatting with, playing with, or correcting the behavior of all the kids. We’re working together to raise our kids. 

Magome has given us connection to our neighborhood as a place and to the people as our community.