A sticker to tell everyone that a wailing baby is not a nuisance
Under the picture of a baby, the sticker says “I don’t mind wailing”. Akiko Shihara, 34, an essayist and mother of two children, is behind the idea. Everything began in 2016 when a customer in a restaurant yelled at her because her son was crying. Now many have joined the initiative across Japan.
Tokyo (AsiaNews) – People in Japan have started wearing a sticker on their clothing, smartphone, purse or other personal item to indicate that a wailing child is no big deal, nor a motive to feel ashamed in a restaurant, train or other public place.
It all began in 2016 when Akiko Shihara, 34, an essayist and mother of two children, went through the bitter experience of a customer in a restaurant yelling at her because her son was wailing and she was not able to calm him down right away.
“I understand that there are people who feel annoyed. But I thought maybe there are others who aren’t,” Shihara told Asahi Shinbun.
On another occasion, she saw a mother with a wailing baby in a Tokyo coffee shop. The woman was trying unsuccessfully to calm the baby down, well aware of the eyes on her.
Shihara wanted to tell the mother that it was OK, but she was too shy. That was when it hit her that making a sticker might be the answer, a badge indicating that one is not bothered by wailing children.
Shihara consulted with the Woman.excite website portal, which was fascinated with the idea. She chose the sentence ‘I don’t mind the wailing’ to go under the picture of a baby.
The website portal launched a campaign in May 2016 saying it would give out the sticker to 30 people. Hundreds of people posted comments, indicating a shift in mind-set in Japan.
“I hope society becomes more tolerant toward each other,” she said. “And I hope future parents feel encouraged to have children.”
According to Asahi Shimbun, Masami Ohinata, dean of Keisen University in Tokyo, praised the move, saying there are a lot people who want to show their support for parents but don’t know how. “It’s important for children to feel loved. And if mothers are having fun, so will the child.”
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