Not Relevant at All — But So Fun!

Hi Readers — Tomorrow morn will bring a posting of gravitas and import. Or at least, something relevant to Free-Range Kids. But tonight (it’s bedtime here in New York), here’s a video that I’ll be replaying in my mind tomorrow morning: A woman and her son get ready for school in FIVE MINUTES! (And I love how she makes lunch!) 

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J_DJpYo0l28&feature=related]

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38 Responses to Not Relevant at All — But So Fun!

  1. Ruby in Montreal September 21, 2009 at 10:53 am #

    That is hilarious! I can see our JuJutsu dojo doing a demo along the same lines…. Love the way the Mom & kid jumped into their clothes 🙂

    Cheers!
    Ruby

  2. Janice September 21, 2009 at 11:17 am #

    That was great – thanks for the smiles. 🙂
    ~Janice

  3. Uly September 21, 2009 at 11:33 am #

    And here I was led to believe that Japanese mothers spend hours diligently making charaben for their loved ones to bring to school. Lies, I say, all lies! *sob*

  4. Alida September 21, 2009 at 12:05 pm #

    Wow, and except for the hot dog, I’d say that was a pretty healthy lunch!

  5. North of 49 September 21, 2009 at 12:38 pm #

    that’s soooo cute. I wish my kids were that organized for school.

  6. Wendy September 21, 2009 at 6:14 pm #

    Amusing

    Shades of Wallace and Gromit.

    But underwear you have been to bed in? Never not in my house! LOL

  7. Christy B. September 21, 2009 at 6:16 pm #

    Too funny! And that little boy stuffing the whole sandwich in his mouth…priceless!

  8. Angie September 21, 2009 at 7:11 pm #

    LOL! That’s excellent! Thanks for the link. 😀

    Wendy — maybe they put on fresh underwear right before going to bed?

    Angie

  9. Mae Mae September 21, 2009 at 7:31 pm #

    Thank you so much. It’s great to start the workday off with laughter. I might try this so I can sleep in a little later.

  10. Tardy September 21, 2009 at 7:38 pm #

    That’s awesome. Plus a way better lunch than most American kids go to school with, including my own.

  11. HSmom September 21, 2009 at 7:41 pm #

    LOL! What kind of fruit was that that she squeezed with her super-human Japanese strength? Loved the kid eating the sandwich in one mouthful (That’s the only thing that looked remotely familiar from my house.) That CAN’T be safe for children. Someone should prevent children from doing that. Not safe. Not safe at all… because you know… “What if?”

  12. Lola September 21, 2009 at 7:43 pm #

    Hahahaha! This reminds me of the one time my kid had to get dressed IN the car on our way to school… I threatend her that if she kept on slumbering in the mornings, she would have to go to school in her pyjamas. Fortunately for her, I threw her stuff in the car with her.
    Mind you, from then on, she jumps out of bed!

  13. Lola September 21, 2009 at 7:44 pm #

    Oh, and she managed to get everything on with her seatbelt on (no idea how she did it, but next time, I´ll have my camera ready).

  14. Segwyne September 21, 2009 at 8:30 pm #

    I have my kids change their underwear before they go to bed. That way there are no questions as to whether or not they are still wearing yesterday’s underwear. I wonder how long they had to practice that.

  15. Uly September 21, 2009 at 8:54 pm #

    I threatened her that if she kept on slumbering in the mornings, she would have to go to school in her pyjamas.

    What sort of threat is that? Kids here regularly wear pajama bottoms to school, enough so that some schools have banned them except on Pajama Day.

    I have my kids change their underwear before they go to bed.

    Am I the only person who habitually sleeps in pjs (or naked) sans undies? I’ve always found that sleeping in panties makes me or the nieces more prone to infection and rash….

  16. Mae Mae September 21, 2009 at 9:06 pm #

    Lola – Make sure you don’t get those pictures developed at Wal-Mart!

  17. BMS September 21, 2009 at 9:36 pm #

    This reminds me of a conversation I had with another parent at my 2nd grader’s back to school night.

    I was commenting about how my kids are required to make their lunches in the morning. His jaw dropped.

    “You mean your 3rd grader, right?”

    “No, both kids”

    “They actually get out the peanut butter and jelly and make sandwiches and everything??”

    “Um..yeah..Sometimes they microwave leftovers for their thermoses”

    He was just utterly astonished that kids could be taught and expected to make their own lunches. When we mentioned other chores my kids do (laundry, floors, dusting, etc) he was amazed. He simply had never even thought to teach his kids to do these things. Totally sad.

  18. Jen Connelly September 21, 2009 at 10:15 pm #

    She could have saved time by leaving the crust on the sandwich but loved her idea of using the bowl (we have some like that) to cut the crusts off.
    My kids could probably get ready in 5 minutes if they weren’t so cranky in the morning because they refused to go to bed when we told them to.
    I know I can get ready in 5 minutes.
    My kids get their own breakfast in the morning (cereal or toast or whatever).
    They do make their own lunches at home (they get hot lunches at school). People are also shocked to find out that my 3yo can make her own sandwich and loves to do it. I’m constantly called lazy because I don’t cater to their every whim and expect them to clean up after themselves and get their own food. The older 2 learned to use the microwave at 5 (the middle daughter is 6 and still not allowed because she just doesn’t “get” how to use it but can use the toaster).

  19. Kate September 21, 2009 at 10:19 pm #

    Awesome! I’m totally showing that to my husband the next time he says he needs more than an hour to get ready and drive to work (it’s only 2.6 miles to work so the drive takes less than 15 minutes if you hit every red light). Seriously, the man eats dinner in under 10 minutes but takes 20 minutes to eat a bowl of cereal!

    I wonder if you can get a pan like that in the US? Anyone know?

  20. miriam September 21, 2009 at 10:22 pm #

    i also like how much fun the kid seemed to be having. he’s got a big grin on his face when he shakes up his rice ball while putting on his shorts.

  21. Lisa September 21, 2009 at 10:39 pm #

    Thanks for belly laughs on a Monday morning. Hmm, maybe I need to rethink our school mornings, lol! I wish I could have understood what they were saying. I;m still laughing anyway.

  22. pentamom September 21, 2009 at 10:43 pm #

    Yeah, that pan with all the depressions was a nifty appliance!

  23. Jan September 21, 2009 at 10:52 pm #

    I like the space saving sink in a small closet and some of the other nifty gadgets. Charming video, thanks.

  24. Uly September 22, 2009 at 12:02 am #

    “They actually get out the peanut butter and jelly and make sandwiches and everything??”

    That? That’s sad. Didn’t this person make sandwiches as a kid?

  25. Eli Bobeli September 22, 2009 at 1:55 am #

    Does anyone know what that griddle with the depressions is called? I am having a heck of time googling it, and I’ve already thought of a dozen recipes using one.

  26. Uly September 22, 2009 at 2:17 am #

    Eli, try searching for “bento cooking” or something. It might be a weird Japanese thing that’s used for, uh, making bento lunches.

  27. Noelley September 22, 2009 at 2:19 am #

    Eli Bobeli, I believe it’s called a takoyaki pan. You can find non-electric versions on Amazon, but I think it might be harder to find an electric one here in the States. It does look would be fun to cook with!

  28. Eli Bobeli September 22, 2009 at 2:51 am #

    Thank you very much! Ends up you can buy one on, where else, eBay!

  29. Eli Bobeli September 22, 2009 at 2:52 am #

    And oh yeah, hilarious post and great blog. =-)

  30. Michelle September 22, 2009 at 3:28 am #

    That was amusing. Oh man, that kids lunch looks yummy. I loves asian food.

    If anyone her wants a good laught, look up “Japanese potty training” on youtube.

  31. Lola September 22, 2009 at 3:52 am #

    “What sort of threat is that? Kids here regularly wear pajama bottoms to school, enough so that some schools have banned them except on Pajama Day.”

    Not if uniform is required! And it´s a good thing I know teachers there would agree with me (I asked, anyway, just in case…).

  32. Sandy September 22, 2009 at 7:15 am #

    We do a lot of ziplocs full of cheerios with water bottles in the car at our house.

  33. Bridget September 22, 2009 at 10:42 am #

    The balls I think are a street from Osaka…

    Great to see this on this site, especially since all over Tokyo you see unattended kids on the subway and walking to and from school.

  34. Bridget September 22, 2009 at 10:42 am #

    Sorry, I meant street food from Osaka.

  35. Kelly September 22, 2009 at 12:41 pm #

    Very fun to watch!

    Re: underwear – my kids take a bath every night and then put on clean underwear and PJs, and thus the next day wear the underwear they slept in.

    I love that a few of us will likely be competing on ebay for one of those takojaki pans! 😉

  36. Layne Aingell September 23, 2009 at 3:46 am #

    I have actually dressed my kids in their clothes for the next day, and let them sleep in them. And proud of it.

  37. Uly September 23, 2009 at 11:41 pm #

    Lenore, I don’t mean to tell you your business, but are you meaning to post those comments as comments? I thought you usually sent emails instead….

  38. reen October 1, 2009 at 3:12 am #

    Love this site so much!!

    This was priceless. The way he LEAPS and somersaults into his shirt and the mom tumbles into her dress…oh no, I can’t stop laughing! Excellence!