Chapter 6 How to Make Child-rearing an Attractive Option 6.4 Success Stories in Creating a Positive Parenting Culture

6.4 Success Stories in Creating a Positive Parenting Culture

The stereotype that "child-rearing is hard" remains deeply rooted in Japanese society.
However, looking around the world, there are societies where child-rearing is established as "fun and rewarding," and
where parents can naturally balance child-rearing and their own lives.

Here, let's look at success stories that are building such a "positive parenting culture."

1. France: A society where being with children is "the norm"

France is one of the countries in Europe with a relatively high birth rate.
One of the reasons for this lies in the "social atmosphere where having children is normal and they are not treated as special."

✅ Flexibility in the workplace
→ Short working hours and remote work are the norm, making it easier for parents to balance child-rearing and their careers.
Instead of "I can't work because I have children," the value of "everyone works normally even if they have children" has permeated society.

✅ The value that spending time with children is "natural"
→ In Japan, children in cafes or restaurants are sometimes considered a "nuisance," but
in France, dining out with children is a common sight.
The whole society accepts that "children are members of society."

✅ Community-wide child-rearing support
→ The idea that "child-rearing is the parent's responsibility" is weak, and local people help each other as a matter of course.
There are mechanisms in place where neighbors naturally watch over children, so parents don't have to shoulder the burden of child-rearing alone.

In short, in France, the idea that "child-rearing is nothing special" has taken root.
This value is a major point of difference from the Japanese trend of "child-rearing is the parent's own responsibility."

2. Denmark: Balancing work-life and child-rearing

Denmark is one of the countries that has realized a culture where "both work and child-rearing are important."
Here, systems are in place that allow parents to face their children without undue stress.

✅ Reduction of working hours
→ Most companies finish work between 4:00 PM and 5:00 PM.
The idea that "it is normal to go home on time" is rooted, and
parents can secure time to spend leisurely with their family after work.

✅ Father's participation in child-rearing is "the norm"
→ It is a common sight to see fathers with their children in parks and cafes.
There is no stereotype that "men work and women raise children," and
the idea that child-rearing is something the whole family does, regardless of gender is established.

✅ Enhancement of the education system
→ The Danish education system emphasizes "children becoming independent early."
Because parents do not need to intervene excessively in their children's future,
the pressure of child-rearing is reduced, and parents gain the leeway to trust and watch over their children.

In Denmark, "parents don't have to do everything themselves" and "child-rearing is not something to struggle with."
Because the whole society supports it, child-rearing becomes natural and fun.

3. Within Japan: Creating child-friendly environments in local cities

There are many voices saying, "Child-rearing is hard in urban areas of Japan."
However, if we look at regional areas, there are some regions where efforts are underway to create environments that are easier for child-rearing.

✅ Regions with active community child-rearing
→ In cities, "child-rearing is a family unit" is the norm, but
in regional areas, the awareness that "children are raised by the community" is strong.
For example, in the countryside, a stranger might ask a child, "Are you eating properly?" or
a neighbor might naturally look after them, saying, "Play in my garden until your mother comes to pick you up."

✅ Shared child-rearing spaces
→ There is an increase in communal spaces for parents to help each other with child-rearing.
By having places where "you can stop by on your way home from work and let the children play while parents socialize,"
it prevents parental isolation and distributes the burden of child-rearing.

✅ Collaboration between migration promotion and child-rearing support
→ There is an increasing number of cases where the parent generation, tired of urban working styles,
moves to regional areas wanting to "raise children more freely."
Local governments are also starting to create environments that make people think,
"If I have children, I want to raise them in this town," by enhancing child-rearing support.

In Japan, the image that "child-rearing equals hardship" is still strong, but
in reality, "efforts to create a society that is easy to raise children in" have begun in various places.

Summary: Creating a society where being with children is "fun"

In France, Denmark, and local cities in Japan, there are
examples of societies where child-rearing is rooted as something that can be enjoyed rather than a burden that exist.

"You lose your freedom when you get married"
"It's hard when you have children"

Especially in Japan, where these negative images are strong,
shouldn't we refer to these success stories and createa culture where being with children is natural and fun?

And that is by no means a pipe dream.
Since there are already regions where this is being practiced, isn't what is required of today's society to think about "how can we do it?"

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