An increasing number of parents in Japan want to take more responsibility in raising their children, and are turning to a unique learning program pioneered in Canada, called “Nobody’s Perfect."

Various branches of this program are springing up all around Japan, according to a report from the Nobody’s Perfect (NP) alumni association.

The Nippon Foundation supports one of these learning centers in Yamanashi Prefecture, near Tokyo, where parents get together weekly to study child rearing methods.

The program originally began in 1980 in Canada with the backing of Health Canada and the Department of Health, and spread across the country. It has since been introduced to Japan.

From Nobody’s Perfect Parents’ Resource Kit published by the Canada Federal Government

NP is a parenting education and support program for parents of children from birth to age five. It was designed to meet the needs of parents who are young, single, socially or geographically isolated or who have low income or limited formal education. It informs parents about the "whens," "whats" and "whys" of the first five years of childhood. Participation is voluntary and free of charge to parents.

At meetings parents are accepted for who they are, and helped to learn who they can be with their children. They discuss ups and downs they are facing in raising their off-spring, and the first thing they are told when joining a group is “there are no perfect parents.” They then learn various methods of child rearing to try at home with their own kids.

The Nippon Foundation began supported the Yamanashi NP learning program in February of this year. 71 participants have graduated from the program there so far.

In particular, the information sharing and talks include the details of each parents’ experience and needs to successfully rear their kids. This is compiled into NP’s resources on parenting methods.