Ladies, ... how many magazines do you read?  And husbands, do you know which magazines your wife picks up at the book store lately?

Magazines are targeted to certain people...
This time I would like to introduce a magazine "Very".  This magazine seems to be targeted to the ladies in their 30's, probably married, may have children, and who are in the middle class and above.

In this magazine, I found articles of  "Inter Mama" , Moms which stands for moms who sends their children to international schools in Japan.  These moms are perceived as the sophisticated, fashionable, right on the trend with food, interior goods, kid's toys, etc. And of course knows a lot about foreign countries including where to shop, which lounge in the airport has what and many many things that ladies like.  Akogare (憧れ)、meaning envy is the word which average Japanese women have for Inter Mamas.

One thing that worried me in one of the article was that Japanese first graders have been losing their self esteem by around 60 percent till they become 5th or 6th graders.  The word self esteem can be translated but there is no word that exactly explains it in Japanese.  Knowing that it is very important, I am sad to say it is not taken seriously in the Japanese society as in the US.  This article wrote about Abraham Harold Maslow's theory. That human beings want ...

1. physiological need
2. safety need
3. social need/love and belonging
4. esteem
5. self actualization                     

The 4th need, esteem is the one that they were referring to with the elementary school kids.      

I myself have felt this necessity when I just came back to Japan after years in the US.  To able to like yourself although you might not fit in the circumstances.  I assume there are quite a few things that can be an obstacle when kids in the elementary school want self esteem.  Parents might scold them, after all the bad economic situation, parents themselves are striving for their own self-esteem coping with the stress and pressure from the society.  Also, the Japanese tend to be serious which makes it hard to giggle, play around, joke around, relieve stress by hugging each other, etc.  

As a mother of 3 children, this article was a good reminder to always be positive about your own child and show that to the children.  I believe that saying only good things can change the thoughts of the children too.