I’ve been a father in Japan for much longer than I have in England, and I don’t think I’d want to do it there again. My son and daughter are now in primary school, and fatherhood in Japan has been great so far: a learning curve, an eye-opener and a lot of fun.
One of the benefits I noticed early on was the ability to get a boost in Japanese language just by doing the dad thing. I have acquired vocabulary that I might never have learned otherwise, such as the names of diseases and medications, school and educational terminology, and words my children use for moods and feelings.
Not that I know the language in any way, and I honestly admit that I have used my children as an interpreter when delivery people came to the door or when I didn’t understand their doctor’s diagnosis. But hey, that’s to their advantage, right?
