[Parenting Essay] When the twins are 22, I will be 58

Hello, I'm Kiipikumin.

I am a father raising three children.
I have an eldest son and twin daughters.

The twins were born prematurely last year and were hospitalized in the NICU.

Currently, I am on parental leave and living a life centered around childcare with my wife.

When the twins were born, I made one decision.

It was to "lose weight."

It might seem like a somewhat underwhelming goal.

But for me, it was a fairly heavy resolution.


It has been about 10 years since I started working.

With a life centered on desk work and my love for beer,
before I knew it, I had gained about 15 kilograms.

I have thought about losing weight many times.


It was the same a few years ago when I received an E grade on my health checkup.

The results of the re-examination were fine.

However, the few days until those results came out felt strangely long.

By that time, my eldest son had already been born.

What if something happened to me?

What if I couldn't see this child grow up?

I thought about those things not vaguely, but clearly.


I was scared.

In the end, there were no abnormalities.

Along with the relief, that feeling gradually faded away.

And so, my diet ended after three days.

—Once the danger is past, one forgets the fear.

Back then, I had forgotten the importance of health in the busyness of daily life.

A few years passed since then, and my twin daughters were born.

I now had three children.

When I reviewed my insurance and thought about my life plan,
a single number suddenly caught my eye.

When the twins graduate from university, I will be 58 years old.
That is still a long way off.

Moreover, the twins were born prematurely.
I heard that life after discharge might not be easy at all.

At that moment, it suddenly hit home.

I thought, "I really need to stay healthy."
Although it's not an object, I realized that my own body is also an essential item for raising children.


It had changed from "it would be nice if I could" like before,
to "I must do it."

It was just the right time to start my parental leave.

I have time. There are fewer excuses.

I started strength training, quit drinking, and reviewed my diet.
I didn't do anything special, but I kept at it.

I lost 15 kilograms in half a year.

It was exactly the amount I had gained since I started working.

It's not just that my body feels lighter.

But more than that, I feel a little more at ease.

I think it's because I've come to believe that
"I am doing what I can" for the future of my children.


Perhaps this isn't a story about dieting.
I realized that my time is limited.
And it's a story about how I started thinking about how to use that time.

Thank you for reading until the end.

I also keep records of my time in the NICU and my days with the twins.

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