A family from Japan moved into your neighborhood a couple of months ago. The parents are working on a project and are only here for a short time before they move back to Japan

You were talking to another neighbor who was very upset with the Japanese family and was considering filing abuse charges. The mother would very rarely let the male toddler speak and rarely encouraged him to speak. What did you tell your neighbor?
a. She should call the authorities immediately.
b. The boy is probably mute, so there is no reason to encourage him to speak.
c. The boy's mother is probably hoping that he will learn English while they are living here and is trying not to confuse him by also speaking Japanese.
d. This is a culturally based difference in parenting and is not abuse.

D. In Japanese culture, being talkative is considered impolite and undesirable, especially for males, because the Japanese believe it is better to blend in harmoniously with the group than to call attention to yourself. Consequently, Japanese mothers often discourage their children from talking, especially their boys.