Everyone's Childcare Day

What Is Everyone's Childcare Day?

April 19th is "Minna no Hoiku no Hi" (Everyone's Childcare Day) in Japan, established by Kids Color (which calls itself a "kodomo hojin," or "children's corporation"), the operator of "Hoiclue," a platform for childcare and play, and registered with the Japan Anniversary Association in 2015. The date comes from a pun reading 4 as "fō" (four) and 19 as "iku," which together sound like "hoiku," meaning "childcare."

Childcare Isn't Just for the Professionals

At the heart of this anniversary is the idea that childcare shouldn't be seen as the job of nursery school teachers alone, but as something society as a whole should support.

• Who it's for: every adult who interacts with children, not just childcare professionals or parents
• Its purpose: to create an opportunity for society as a whole to think afresh about childcare
• Its wish: to make this a day when people from many perspectives and positions, not just childcare professionals, think about childcare together, share their ideas, and face it head-on

The Importance of Early Childhood

Infancy and early childhood are considered an especially critical period in life, laying the foundation for later personality development and relationships. The attitude of every adult involved during this period is thought to have a significant impact on a child's development.

Tips for Marking This Day

• Take a fresh look at how you interact with the children around you
• Learn about the role and challenges of being a nursery school teacher
• Check out childcare support centers or childcare-related events in your area
• Recall something an adult did for you as a child that made you happy

Childcare as a Task Shared by Every Adult, Not Just Professionals

The name "Everyone's Childcare Day" carries a message: don't leave parenting to just one special person -- support it together as a society. Let April 19th be a day to take a fresh look at how you interact with the children around you.