What Was That Selena Gomez SNL Sketch Referencing? Allow Us To Introduce You To 'Old Enough' (You're Welcome)
If you didn't already know about the series on Netflix that Selena Gomez and Mikey Day were parodying in this week's episode of SNL, we'd like to take this opportunity to introduce you to the cutest show ever created.
First, let's back up: On this week's episode of Saturday Night Live, Selena Gomez was the host, and one of the sketches she did - also starring Mikey Day - was called "Old Enough! Long-term boyfriends," and this was the premise:
"Netflix viewers love Old Enough, the hit Japanese show that follows toddlers as they go on an errand all by themselves.
Now we're remaking it here, but since Americans don't send toddlers out into the world alone, we had to find an equally helpless group. And we did."
What proceeds is a video that we would say is a distressing perpetuation of stereotypes that women will have to settle for helpless babymen who can't do anything for themselves - except at the end Selena Gomez's character resolves to break up with her boyfriend for his ineptitude so at least there's that. (Yes ladies, there are better options out there. Like, a lot of them.)
But we're not here to talk about that today. We're here to talk about the show it's based on: Like the sketch, it's called Old Enough, and if you like adorable little toddlers, get ready for your heart to explode.
In this Japanese show, the Littlest Kids - some as young as two - and young children go out on their very first errand for their parents. It's usually something small, like picking a few things up at the grocery store or delivering a forgotten piece of a work uniform to Dad, but to kids this little, anything seems like a big ask - and it's a joy to watch them accomplish them.
It's the cutest darned thing we've ever seen - from the two-year-old boy who walks to the supermarket all by himself and ALMOST forgets the curry to the three-year-old girl who manages to pull a massive cabbage out of the ground herself (instead of finding the one her mother had already laid aside for her in the shed), every single child is adorable, and watching them try their best is like hug for your heart.
The creators of the show are proud that it helps teach young children confidence and independence - but apparently there has been some debate in the US about whether it's a good thing that parents are letting kids that young run errands all alone.
But apparently, even parenting experts in the US agree that the show's creators are right: Entrusting kids with those kinds of tasks is actually really good for their development and self-esteem. Which raises the question: Are American parents, on the grand scale of things, overprotective of their children?
The debate surrounding the show has gotten so notable that Trevor Noah even mentioned it on The Daily Show.
It's all subjective, so it's really impossible to say - but it is very interesting seeing the cultural differences that exist in Japan - if the show makes one thing clear, it's that they are, on average, much more patient with children there. It kinda gives more context to Pokemon - now that I've seen this show, it makes a little more sense that a ten-year-old in Japan is considered Old Enough (ha!) to have a Pokemon adventure.
All of this is to say that if you haven't seen Old Enough! yet, and you need an emotional pick-me-up, we highly reccommend you open up Netflix and check it out right away.
