Latest news with #JournalofChildandFamilyStudies
Time of India
08-07-2025
- Health
- Time of India
What is Shukan? The Japanese habit method that brings routine to your life
In Japan, the term "shukan," meaning "habit" or "routine," carries more than just a casual meaning. It embodies the belief that true growth comes through steady, disciplined practice, not fleeting resolutions. Whether in personal growth, schooling, or the workplace, Japanese culture views habits as foundational building blocks that shape character, efficiency, and well-being over time. The daily habits that teach life lessons in Japan From a young age, Japanese children learn the power of routine. In schools, the daily O-soji (cleaning time) isn't just about tidiness; it teaches students responsibility, respect, and community pride. At home, rituals like removing shoes at the door facilitate mindfulness and cleanliness. In workplaces, the Kaizen philosophy, meaning 'continuous improvement,' mirrors this mindset. Coined by Masaaki Imai, Kaizen encourages tiny, daily changes that accumulate into major gains over time. Originating in factories, it has spread into how Japanese workers manage deadlines, workflows, and even personal goal-setting, demonstrating how daily habits can become catalysts for lasting success. Science confirms: Routines build resilience While Japanese society has long practiced Shukan, modern science affirms its impact, particularly in child development. The Japanese Longitudinal Study of Children and Parents (JLSCP) tracked families from 2015 to 2018 and found that children who maintained structured daily routines—like set bedtimes, homework slots, and limited screen time—showed stronger academic performance and better self-control than their peers. Meanwhile, a 2023 study in the Journal of Child and Family Studies explored the power of family routines in 8–9‑year‑olds and discovered that regular mealtimes, shared activities, and bedtime rituals were linked to lower emotional and behavioral issues—largely by enhancing family closeness and emotional support. These findings echo the essence of Shukan: consistent repetition fosters both individual well-being and relational strength. Applying Shukan: Simple steps to sustainable routine You don't need to overhaul your life to tap into the benefits of Shukan. By following the below examples, you can easily instill the practice of Shukan in your life. Start with something tiny: If you want to meditate daily, begin with 2 minutes, not 20. Be consistent: Perform your new habit at the same time each day. Consistency helps it naturally become part of your rhythm. Anchor it to an existing ritual: Brush your teeth, and follow it with your two-minute meditation or hydration prompt. This is known as habit stacking. Track your behavior: Keep a simple checklist or habit app to mark your progress, visual cues motivate consistency. Improve gradually: True to the spirit of Kaizen, once your habit feels seamless, add a small, manageable upgrade—like stretching after meditation or journaling for one minute. Why Shukan works better than goal-only mindsets In Western habit culture, there's often a heavy focus on measurable goals: losing 10 kg, saving ₹1 lakh in 6 months, mastering French in a year. But Shukan shifts attention from 'destination' to daily process. Goals become optional rewards, while daily routines emerge as the backbone of sustainable growth—a model proven to reduce stress and goal fatigue. As the JLSCP study suggests, prioritizing routines over sheer achievement fosters self-discipline, better emotion control, and stronger familial bonds. It's the quiet consistency, not the flashy milestone, that strengthens character, mental well-being, and performance. Shukan proves that small, consistent actions, repeated over time, are more powerful than occasional dramatic pushes. An ingrained part of Japanese culture but validated by modern research, it offers a blueprint for personal growth that is sustainable, low-stress, and deeply human. When habits flow from daily rhythms and cultural mindsets, they become more than tasks—they become part of who we are. Start small, repeat daily, tweak gradually—this is the essence of Shukan. Also Read: Hidden obesity is real: How one cookie a day can sabotage your gut health
Yahoo
02-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
She's not a mom—but Nani from Lilo & Stitch shows what real motherhood looks like
As the live-action remake stirs nostalgia, it's time we talk about the invisible labor, heartbreak, and devotion behind Nani Pelekai's unsung heroism. When we think of iconic Disney 'moms,' the list is painfully short. Most are either missing, sidelined, or reduced to backstory. But in the heart of Lilo & Stitch lives one of Disney's most powerful portrayals of motherhood—and she's not even a mom. She's Nani Pelekai, Lilo's big sister. With Disney's live-action remake generating fresh buzz, many are revisiting the 2002 animated classic. And for a new generation of parents watching alongside their kids, Nani's role hits differently now. Because while Stitch may be the marketing star, Nani is the emotional anchor—the quiet, overworked, fiercely loving caregiver doing everything she can to hold her family together. After the sudden loss of both parents, Nani, barely out of her teens, becomes Lilo's legal guardian. She's juggling rent, grief, job loss, and a looming threat of separation—all while raising a spirited child who's grieving in her own way. This isn't just sibling caretaking. It's what psychologists call parentification—when a child or teen is forced to assume the responsibilities of a parent due to trauma or instability. Research in the Journal of Child and Family Studies confirms that this role reversal, while often invisible to others, can have long-term emotional impacts. And yet, Nani carries it all with fierce love, protective instinct, and a quiet resilience that's hard to look away from. When I watched the live-action Lilo & Stitch with my 7-year-old son and 4-year-old daughter, I expected giggles and nostalgia. I didn't expect to tear up when Lilo looked Nani in the eye and said, 'I like you better as a sister than a mother.' Nani just mutters, 'Ouch.' That moment gutted me. I've felt that same sting as a mom—when your love gets misinterpreted as control, when you're doing your best and it's still misunderstood. I saw myself in Nani. And I saw my daughter in Lilo—her fierce independence, her big feelings, her inability (for now) to see the full picture. And later, when Tūtū and Lilo encourage Nani to go back to school—to build a future for herself as well as for her family—I was reminded: being part of a family doesn't mean losing yourself. Sometimes, love means nudging each other forward, not just holding each other together. Related: This is the 'invisibility of motherhood'—and it starts long before actually having kids ''Ohana means family. Family means nobody gets left behind or forgotten.' It's one of Disney's most quoted lines—but Nani doesn't just say it. She lives it. Reddit user @Bionic_Ferir described Hawaiian ohana beautifully: 'Family in Hawaii isn't just blood. Any elder is your auntie or uncle. Anyone your age is a cousin… If they stop by to say hi or bring you mangos from their yard, you feed them a full meal. You take care of your elders and help with all the keiki (kids). Ohana is everyone you care about and love.' That's the kind of love Nani extends not only to Lilo, but to Stitch—a misunderstood outsider who turns their world upside down. And she never stops making room—for mess, for growth, for healing. Related: The way this 9-year-old carries his baby brother? We weren't ready If you were the one packing school lunches, walking siblings to the bus stop, or shouldering responsibilities too early—you might recognize yourself in Nani. If you're raising a daughter with a tender heart and fierce loyalty, the kind of girl who notices what others need before they ask—you're raising a Nani, too. Her love story isn't romantic. It's raw, maternal, and deeply human. And it deserves to be recognized. 'She's not failing. She's fighting—for her sister, her family, and her right to still have a future of her own.' As more viewers rediscover Lilo & Stitch, we have a chance to shift the spotlight—toward the sisters, aunties, grandmothers, and chosen-family caregivers who quietly held everything together. Let's name them. Let's thank them. Let's raise our kids to recognize them as heroes, too. Because not all heroes wear crowns. Some wear flip-flops, chase alien dogs, and fight for a little girl's future with everything they've got. More from Motherly: Invisible labor: What it is—and how to make it visible in your relationship How to support an older sibling after family loss Raising strong girls: How to nurture leadership in daughters Sources: Hooper, L. M., Doehler, K., Wallace, S. A., & Hannah, N. J. (2011). The Parentification Inventory: Development, validation, and cross-validation. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 40(3), 291–306. Earley, L., & Cushway, D. (2002). The parentified child. Clinical Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 7(2), 163–178. American Psychological Association. (2022). 'The impact of early caregiving roles on mental health outcomes.'
