Is it normal for men in their 20s to take childcare leave?
Tips for smooth acquisition and return
ITOKI has been encouraging male employees to take childcare leave, such as by publishing the ``Work-Childcare Balancing Support Book For Men'' in 2018. This time, we interview Tsuyoshi Yokoyama, who just took childcare leave in 2022, his seventh year with the company. We asked them about their awareness of taking childcare leave, how things are going during childcare leave, and how things have changed after returning to work.
Employees we spoke to this time
Takeshi Yokoyama
Production Headquarters Development Design Section 1st Development Design Department Chair Development Design Office 2nd Team
- Year of joining: 2016
- Year of childcare leave taken: January 2022 (approximately 3 weeks)
- Family structure: Living with wife and children
I had no worries about taking time off from work.
Mr. Yokoyama is in charge of developing the chair, right?
yes. I started working on quality improvement for two years after joining the company, and was involved in new product development from the third year onwards. So far, I have been in charge of designing Cure Chair, Note Chair (mesh type/cross type), Verte Bra 03 (rotating type), etc. I think it's unique to chair development that I can work with so much consideration for people. Pursuing seating comfort requires not only mechanical engineering, but also an understanding of the human body. Eventually, I would like to develop a chair that will surprise you the moment you sit on it.
[Click here for the chair that Mr. Yokoyama was involved in developing! ]
So, were you still developing a new product when you took childcare leave?
I agree. The pace is roughly one chair per year, but I started it just as development was finished.
Please tell us why you decided to acquire it.
My wife had given birth at home and was able to receive support from her parents for a month, but I knew it would be difficult once she returned home, so I decided to take advantage of that timing.
Were you worried about taking time off from work?
Honestly, not at all. I felt like it was only natural that I should take childcare leave, as there are almost no men my age who have had children, including my college friends, who haven't taken childcare leave. At work, my boss asked me first if I wanted to take childcare leave, so it was very easy to take it.
It seems that it is becoming more and more common for men to take childcare leave. How did you decide on the three-week period?
I got the impression that there were many people who took it for about a month, so I decided to follow suit. However, I think it was actually too short. If I have another chance to take it, I would like to take it for about 3 months.
I do everything except what only my wife can do!
How did you and your husband decide on the division of roles?
Since both of us work, when it comes to housework, we've always been like, ``I'll do the cooking and then leave the washing up to the other person,'' so nothing has really changed. Regarding childcare, I decided that I would also do everything except for things that only my wife can do, such as breastfeeding. Things like changing diapers, bathing, and putting her to bed.
What was difficult about raising children for the first time?
When I was left alone with my child while my wife was out shopping, I started to feel anxious. What should I do if I burst into tears at this point? In fact, it happened quite a few times, and when she wouldn't stop crying even after I held her, I took her outside. I think I gradually learned things myself, such as noticing that my baby stopped crying when I put her in the car.
Please tell us what you are glad about and the moment when you felt happy.
The good thing was that I was able to concentrate and be with my child, which made me feel like I was growing more. Another thing is that I am now able to take care of my child. Sometimes, when he falls asleep on my chest, I feel so cute and happy. By the way, I'm happy that I've been able to walk recently.
Returned as a designer in charge of new product development
How did you return to work?
To be honest, while I was on maternity leave, I didn't think much about what would happen after I returned to work. So I went straight to work, and with the support of my boss and the people around me, I was able to smoothly move on to the next new product development project as a designer.
The support from everyone who greeted us was great. He was the first male employee in the production division to take childcare leave.
Really? I just learned about it for the first time. After I took childcare leave, two male employees, one in the Chair Development and Design Department and one in the Chair Development and Planning Department, took childcare leave. I think it was good that they talked about things like ``It was fun spending time with cute kids,'' haha.
It will be easier to get it if someone close to you gets it! Have you noticed any changes in your mindset at work?
I try not to work overtime as much as possible, and I have become more conscious of work efficiency than before. I can also take advantage of telework, so it's easy to work here. When a child enters nursery school, their life cycle changes again. I'm talking about dropping her off in the morning and my wife picking her up.
What is childcare like after returning to work?
My wife is still on childcare leave, so on weekdays I just come home and take a bath, and I leave most of the rest to her. My job is on Saturdays and Sundays. I want my wife to spend some free time, such as going out with friends. Thanks to taking childcare leave, I am confident that I can look after my child by myself.
This is the result of taking childcare leave!
However, from my wife's point of view, I think there are endless things she wants me to do more of.
It was an asset that my husband and wife were able to share the difficulties of raising children.
What kind of measures do you think are necessary to take childcare leave?
What I kept in mind was that once I decided on when to get my certification, I would work backwards from there and steadily work towards it. I think it will be easier for both of us if we can break things down and take over the situation.
I'm wondering if there are things we can do as a team, such as creating a manual on how to take over the work, identifying tasks that are easy to outsource, and finding a partner to outsource.
Please give a message to people who are thinking about taking childcare leave.
My child sometimes had a lot of crying at night, but I think I tend to leave it to my wife if I have work to do the next day. However, since I was on childcare leave, I was able to cope with the situation, and I think being able to share the difficulties of childcare with my wife will be an asset in our long married life. Some people may feel anxious if this is their first time taking childcare leave, but I encourage them to take it. I think it would be better to take a longer period of time if possible so you won't regret it.
The Childcare and Family Care Leave Act has been revised, and it is now possible to take childcare leave in parts.
It starts from October 2022, right? I hope it becomes more accessible to more people.
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A message from my boss, Mr. Katayama
As mentioned in the interview, I believe that the reason why I was able to balance both childcare and work this time was because of the good relationships and support between Ms. Yokoyama and the people around her.
I hope that you can spread the word about childcare leave by sharing this experience with those around you and providing support. Although I have returned to work after taking childcare leave, I am sure that raising children is still going to be difficult, but I hope that the family will come together and get through this. May you be forever happy! ! !
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