Growing Up with Shichida in Japan

For Marie and Yoshi, Shichida was not an unfamiliar program they first discovered after becoming parents. It had been part of both of their childhoods in Japan.

They remembered Shichida as an enjoyable learning experience that helped children build important abilities from an early age. Having personally experienced the activities and teaching approach, they already understood that the program was about much more than learning facts or preparing for school.

Shichida supported memory, concentration, curiosity, confidence and a positive attitude towards learning.

Their own experiences also gave Marie and Yoshi a perspective that few parents have. They could reflect on Shichida not only as parents watching their child attend classes, but also as adults who had once participated in the program themselves.

Finding Shichida Again in Australia

After moving to Australia, Marie and Yoshi did not initially expect to find Shichida here.

Discovering that the same Japanese early learning method was available in Australia brought a sense of happiness, familiarity and reassurance. They already understood the program and were excited that their child could receive the same early foundation they had experienced.

Rather than choosing an unfamiliar activity based only on what they had heard, Marie and Yoshi were returning to a program they trusted through firsthand experience.

For the family, it felt as though an important part of their childhood in Japan had followed them into their new life in Australia.

Giving Their Child the Same Strong Start

When Marie and Yoshi became parents, they began thinking about the kind of foundation they wanted to provide during their child’s earliest years.

Their decision to return to Shichida was not simply about academic achievement. They wanted their child to develop the underlying abilities that support learning throughout life, including curiosity, concentration, confidence, memory and a willingness to try.

They also valued the opportunity for parents and children to participate in the learning experience together.

Shichida classes gave them dedicated time to be present, observe their child’s development and share enjoyable learning experiences as a family.

A Medical and Personal Perspective on Early Development

Marie is a medical doctor, while Yoshi is also a medical doctor and is completing PhD research.

Their professional backgrounds have strengthened their appreciation of how significant the early years can be. However, their decision to choose Shichida was not based on their careers alone. It was also supported by something deeply personal: their own childhood experiences with the program.

As both medical professionals and former Shichida students, Marie and Yoshi bring a distinctive perspective to early learning.

They understand the importance of giving young children rich and positive experiences during their formative years, while also recognising that development is not limited to academic ability.

For them, qualities such as confidence, emotional connection, curiosity, adaptability and an enjoyment of learning are equally important.

More Than Academic Preparation

Marie and Yoshi see Shichida as more than a program that teaches children how to remember information or perform well academically.

They value its broader approach to development, including its focus on:

• Memory and concentration
• Curiosity and enjoyment of learning
• Confidence and willingness to try
• Imagination and flexible thinking
• Positive parent-child interaction
• Strong foundations for future learning

These abilities can become especially valuable as children grow into a world that is constantly changing.

With technology and artificial intelligence transforming how people live and work, Marie and Yoshi believe children will need more than the ability to memorise information.

They will also need creativity, adaptability, communication skills, emotional intelligence and the confidence to approach unfamiliar challenges.

Supporting Skills for an Uncertain Future

As parents, Marie and Yoshi have thought carefully about how to prepare their child for a future that may look very different from today.

They recognise that no parent can predict exactly what careers, technologies or challenges the next generation will encounter.

Instead of trying to prepare a child for one particular outcome, they believe it is important to build strong underlying abilities that can be applied in many different situations.

A child who is curious, confident, adaptable and comfortable with learning is better equipped to continue developing as the world changes.

This is one reason Marie and Yoshi value the balance within the Shichida Method. Its activities support cognitive abilities while also nurturing imagination, connection and a positive attitude towards new experiences.

A Different View of Achievement

Having established successful careers in medicine and research, Marie and Yoshi understand the effort, discipline and persistence required for advanced study.

However, they do not view Shichida simply as a pathway towards a particular profession or academic result.

Their own experiences have taught them that a strong educational foundation is not defined by test scores alone.

It can also be seen in a person’s ability to concentrate, understand new concepts, remain curious, communicate with others and continue learning through difficulty.

For Marie and Yoshi, the goal is not to place pressure on their child. It is to provide an environment in which their child’s individual potential can grow naturally.

A Japanese Perspective on Early Learning

In Japan, the Shichida Method has been known by generations of families, including professionals who attended as children or later selected the program for their own children.

Marie and Yoshi have also observed that many medical students and doctors in Japan either experienced Shichida themselves or chose it for their children.

For them, seeing Shichida available in Australia created an important connection between their Japanese upbringing and their life as parents today.

While their child is growing up in a different country and cultural environment, Shichida allows the family to share an educational experience that has personal meaning to both parents.

It is a familiar part of Marie and Yoshi’s history that they can now pass forward in a new setting.

A Family Journey Comes Full Circle

There is something particularly meaningful about returning to an experience from childhood and seeing it through the eyes of a parent.

Marie and Yoshi once entered Shichida classrooms as young children in Japan. Today, they attend as parents, watching their own child begin a similar journey in Australia.

Their story reflects trust built across generations.

They are not choosing Shichida solely because of what they have heard about the program. They are choosing it because they experienced it themselves, remember its value and want their child to have the same opportunity.

For Marie and Yoshi, Shichida is no longer only part of their childhood story. It has now become part of their family’s story in Australia.

Marie and Yoshi’s Message to Other Parents

Marie and Yoshi encourage families to recognise how valuable the earliest years can be.

Their advice is not to focus only on immediate academic results, but to consider the broader foundations a child is developing, including curiosity, confidence, concentration, connection and a genuine enjoyment of learning.

Having experienced Shichida first as children and now as parents, they strongly recommend the program to families looking for a meaningful way to support their child’s early development.

Their journey from Shichida students in Japan to Shichida parents in Australia is a powerful reminder that a positive early learning experience can remain with a person long after childhood.

Begin Your Family’s Shichida Story

Looking for an early learning program that supports memory, confidence, curiosity and a lifelong love of learning?

Book a Shichida trial class and experience the program that families around the world have trusted across generations.