Weekender's blog

This article has been reproduced (with permission) from its original publication in the October 19th 2007 issue of Weekender Magazine.

Written by Leigh Wellsview

No matter where you live, how and when you vaccinate your children can be a topic of much debate. Deciding which of the optional vaccines (or, for that matter, which of the required ones) to have your children take and on what schedule to do so can require hours of reading for the concerned parent trying to weight the pros and cons. Living in another country only adds another wrinkle to this decision making process.

This article has been reproduced (with permission) from its original publication in the September 7th 2007 issue of Weekender Magazine.

Written by Danielle Tate-Stratton

When moving with children to a new country, perhaps one of the most overwhelming obstacles to overcome is choosing a suitable school. While back home, you are likely to either follow the public system, working through a set series of public neighborhood schools, or enter into the private system on the recommendation of friends, family, other parents, and general reputation.

This article has been reproduced (with permission) from its original publication in the October 5th 2007 issue of Weekender Magazine.

Written by Emily Downey

Teaching your children to cook can be a wonderful way to increase their skills and accomplishments in a fun and rewarding way. It can build their confidence and social skills in interacting with other students, improve their reading and instruction taking, and can create a sense of achievement all without them realizing they are learning.

This article has been reproduced (with permission) from its original publication in the June 15th 2007 issue of Weekender Magazine.

Recently, Tokyo American Club teamed up with FOXtv Japan to hold the second annual American Club Idol. The competition for international school students was a huge success as 16 acts competed for prizes in the 'best female vocalist', 'best male vocalist', and 'best band' categories. Students were required to submit tapes to the judges before the event, and the selected contestants were then invited to two workshops, one on song selection and one on stage presence, before taking their new moves to the stage for the final showdown on May 20.

This article has been reproduced (with permission) from its original publication in the June 1st 2007 issue of Weekender Magazine.

Written by Leigh Wellsview

Looking for ways for your kids to get active and healthy through sports and recreation? Here are some programs and facilities in and around Tokyo for you and your family to explore.

This article has been reproduced (with permission) from its original publication in the August 3rd 2007 issue of Weekender Magazine.

The Kids' ISO 14000 project is an international program designed to help children reduce their environmental impact by educating them about the environment and ways in which they can help save it. Administered through schools, ISO 14000 is currently being implemented in Tokyo, Hokkaido, Mie, and a handful of other cities in Japan. Since its inception in 2000, 150,000 families have participated in the program, which is jointly administered by ArTech and the United Nations University.

This article has been reproduced (with permission) from its original publication in the July 20th 2007 issue of Weekender Magazine.

Written by Leigh Wellsview

The Tokyo International Players (TIP) were founded in 1896 and have been bringing English-language community theater to Tokyo ever since. Community theater has long been an important first step for young actors, as they get perhaps their first chance to take to the stage while at the same time reaping the benefits of working with older, more experienced actors. This year, TIP mounted The Pirates of Penzance and was able to involve several young actors in the production.

This article has been reproduced (with permission) from its original publication in the July 20th 2007 issue of Weekender Magazine.

Written by Marie Teather

Watching your child flying through the air above a muddy terrain whilst hanging onto a revving 50cc engine may not, for most parents, seem the ideal way to while away the weekend. However, as kids increasingly look for more extreme hobbies to engage themselves in, motocross is gaining in popularity as the ultimate sport to top their pal's more traditional past-times, and score some vital playground credibility points.

This article has been reproduced (with permission) from its original publication in the November 2nd 2007 issue of Weekender Magazine.

Written by Irene Lee and Yuri Tomikawa

A few students began to sniffle. Some began to rub their teary eyes, burying their heads into each other's shoulders. The rest of the graduating class of 2008 sat huddled on the floor in silence, eyes cast down, absorbing Miyoko Matsubara's story of surviving the Hiroshima atomic bomb—and her earnest plea for peace.

This article has been reproduced (with permission) from its original publication in the July 6th 2007 issue of Weekender Magazine.

Written by S.Z. Cairney

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Living in a heaving metropolis and surviving rush hour trains crammed to the maximum, I will forgive you for that odd look you throw me when I ask "Fancy a nighttime safari?" Tokyo, with its high-rise structures, neon lights, booming announcements assaulting the poor eardrums at every corner, and dense population, is hardly synonymous with Out Of Africa. However, over thirty years ago, a Japanese industrialist went on a safari near Mount Kilimanjaro and fell in love with the wildlife. This inspired him to build a 'safari' zoo complex at the foot of Mount Fuji.