Playtime

I don't speak Japanese so my assumptions may be totally wrong but here is what I see everyday when we go to the park.  There's a big clock like this in every park.  The park is packed with children of all ages from 2 - 12 .  They're running around, playing baseball, soccer, swinging, chatting it up in Japanese, "sugoi", having a great time enjoying the day and the outdoors like children should.  But in the midst of all this young laughter an American, like me, notices someone is missing.  There are no parents.    Where are the adults?  Aren't they afraid their kids could get snatched up by some crazy Joe?  Haven't they heard about Chester the molester?  Could this place really be so safe that they can let their kids play at the park on their own?  I feel kind of out of place there watching my own kids but I'm not comfortable sending them on their own.  There might be a mom or maybe a grandpa if the child is younger than 2 but otherwise its just the kids having a great time.  Then, like clockwork, when the big clock reads 5:30 the kids all get on their bikes and leave.  Is 5:30 dinner time and these kids know it?  And how the heck did their parents get them that disciplined?   Or is it that they all just get tired of the park at 5:30?  For all I know its that the big bad wolf comes out after 5:30.  No matter the reason after 5:30 the park is left wide open for my kids to rule until our dinnertime, you know, around 9.

Happy Playtime!