29歳の涼子は第一子を出産し、現在は育児休暇中の夫と一緒に暮らしている。義母は育児休暇をただの休暇だと思っていて、毎日買い物や外出に誘ってきて困っている。同僚に休みたいと相談した涼子は、同僚にランチに誘われてストレスを発散する。育休を含めた子育て環境の厳しさを実感した彼女は、夫の意識改革が必要だと感じている。夫と協力して家事や育児を行い、夫婦で支え合う大切さを学んでいる。
Continuing from last time. I am Ryouko, 29 years old. I recently gave birth to my first child. My husband (31 years old, Tomonorisuki) and I are currently on childcare leave. My in-laws live about a 30-minute drive away. It seems that my mother-in-law (around 60 years old) thinks of my husband’s childcare leave as just a vacation, and she keeps trying to take us out for shopping and outings every day, which is causing me trouble. Her demands are increasing, and it is clear that my husband lacks a sense of responsibility towards childcare. I am constantly angry with my mother-in-law and husband.
Feeling too stressed, I expressed to my colleagues who celebrated my childbirth that I wanted a break. In response, they invited me to lunch out of concern for me.
Enjoying adult conversation after a long time, I vented about my husband.
Agreeing with my colleague’s words that “while the paternity leave system has become more common, there are still men and fathers who haven’t changed their mindset,” I felt a connection. When I returned home in despair, I realized that the environment surrounding childcare, including childcare leave, is still tough, and it requires a shift in parents’ mindset, not just my husband’s.
Changing my mother-in-law’s mentality seems difficult, so I feel frustrated that the only option is to change my husband’s mindset. Honestly, it is strange that I have to educate him when childcare and household chores are already challenging enough. However, since my husband lacks awareness as a father, I have no choice but to instill it in him.
First, I want to gradually improve my husband’s household and childcare abilities so that we can work comfortably together as a couple. Having experienced household chores and childcare, my husband seems to understand the importance of supporting each other as a couple more and more.
Continued in [Episode 3].
Original: Mama Sta Community, Script: Rolling Dell, Illustration: Koko Morino, Editing: Mika Yokouchi