Responses
I really want to see a work that probes into these problems and not just take them as given. The story is interesting and fluffy, but the author has a chance to create a fluffy yet complex and profound story here.
I think there are series out there that actually tackle these questions, but they're not available in English for us readers to see.
I'm happy that the family loves each other so much, but sad to see the reality of Japan depicted so well here.
She was a full-time employee, but now part-time because she needs to take care of the family. Meanwhile, her husband is constantly busy with work and has to overtime frequently. He can't even say he enjoys his work to his son when asked, but he pushes himself to work hard for his family. The workload in Japan is so insane that only one of the parents can afford to go to work, and it is usually the husband. This is why so many Japanese young people choose not to have children anymore.
Having children in Japan basically means sacrificing your career for the women, and sacrificing your health, both mental and physical, for the men. This toxic work culture must stop :(