Work, housework, childcare, strategies for moms... What do working dads really want to know?

The research team "Papa Lab," which targets fathers in dual-income households, will conduct projects, research, and provide marketing support related to dads in the free magazine "Hanako Papa" (Magazine House), launched in March 2017.

How does it differ from "Hanako Mama," familiar to nursery school moms? What kind of communication resonates with dads? Asami Kishibe, Editor-in-Chief of both "Hanako Mama" and "Hanako Papa," discussed this with Chida Tomoharu and Hattori Ryo, members of Papalabo.

I want to eliminate the term "ikumen"

Chida: Honestly, I've always felt uncomfortable with the term "ikumen." Moms get no comment when they raise kids, but when dads do it, they're called "ikumen." That's because dads raising kids still isn't considered normal, right?

There are now 11 million dual-income households. Through Papalabo's activities, information sharing via "Hanako Papa," and marketing efforts with companies, I hope we can eliminate the term "Ikumen" from society in the near future.

Kishibe: At "Hanako Mama" events and interviews, I also sense that dads today are much more conscious about participating in housework and childcare. A mindset that "housework and childcare are things you do" is definitely taking root among dads.

Additionally, when it comes to dads' characteristics, we can list various things like their ability to scold calmly without getting overly emotional, their strength not just in physical labor but also in being skilled with machines and the web, and their strong information gathering abilities.

Hattori: When we interview dual-income dads at Papalabo, many say with shining eyes, "Seeing my child grow brings me happiness, so I don't feel bad about finishing work early to get home," or "I don't mind my personal spending money decreasing if it means buying good things for my child."

Kishibe: Rather than just creating memories for the children, we want to help create memories for the parents themselves. We aim for "Hanako Papa" to be a media outlet that supports dads who want to enjoy this irreplaceable time of raising their children.

While dads watch their kids, they also keep an eye on mom out of the corner of their eye.

Chida: While "Hanako Mama" focuses on themes like spending time with children, fashion, and recipes, what kind of themes will "Hanako Papa" cover?

Kishibe: Even if we feature the same products as "Hanako Mama," dads are more likely to be drawn to data-driven information—like what kind of brain stimulation this toy provides, or its advantages and comparisons with other manufacturers. It's not just about visuals; it's about making sure the text is read thoroughly too.

Hattori: Are there any themes unique to dads?

Kishibe: Outdoor activities that are hard to pull off without a dad present are one example. For cooking, it could be things like the exact temperature needed for perfectly crisp frying... Also, dads might not even know how to play with their kids at the park, so introducing play ideas could be great.

Hattori: Dad's cooking tends to fall into two categories: "convenience-focused" and "passion-driven." Since cooking is routine for moms, they lean toward time-saving and simplicity, and dads are similar in that regard. On the other hand, some dads get deeply into it as an extension of their hobbies and pursue it to the extreme.

Chida: I take my kids to the park too, but the moms who are good at networking don't really exchange information much. And looking around, you see dads who came all the way to the park but are just staring at their phones... It seems like there still aren't many dads actively exchanging childcare information with each other.

Kishibe: That's right. That's why we want to feature lots of relatable dads in "Hanako Papa." Rather than imposing parenting advice from above, we want readers to relate to and learn from dads who are naturally enjoying parenting—like asking, "What do you do in the bath?" or "What do you do to get them to sleep?"

Hattori: It would be great to incorporate perspectives unique to dads too. Like "work," "relationship with their wife," and "personal time."

Chida: For many dads, "work" is the main focus of their lives. Even if they see magazines that beautifully depict household chores and childcare, they might think, "That would be ideal, but how do I wrap up work? Is there a trick to balancing both home and work?"

Also, while dads watch their kids, they often glance sideways at Mom. In childcare, Mom is often the household commander, and dads frequently think, "I have to move without Mom getting angry," keeping her in mind. To depict a smooth relationship with Mom, we need that unique dad perspective on how to win Mom over.

Kishibe: Right. For example, asking Mom questions like, "Have you ever thought about divorce?" and conveying that in a way that isn't mean-spirited.

Hattori: Also, dads often struggle to give up their "me time." While they love their kids, a certain number of dads want to keep their personal time and enjoy their hobbies. Including this unique dad perspective makes you feel like the author understands dads' feelings, which makes you want to read more.

More dads are cooking and shopping for groceries and daily necessities!

Chida: At Papa Lab, we've categorized dual-income dads identified in our surveys into six distinct clusters, making each father archetype more vividly real. Which cluster aligns closest with the target audience for "Hanako Papa"?

Kishibe: The closest would be the "Double-Spending Dads," I'd say. That said, I think all except the "Slacker Dads" would be potential readers (laughs).

Hattori: But actually, the most common type among dual-income dads is this "Slacker Dad." Transforming them into other clusters might be one of Papalab's challenges.

Incidentally, Papalab data shows dads tend to buy higher-quality, more expensive items if they're beneficial for their children—like "buying their child nicer clothes than they wear themselves" or "upgrading to a better air conditioner for the kids."

Chida: Something interesting I heard during a recent interview was about the "EC Dad" who masters e-commerce sites. He constantly uses multiple e-commerce sites, carefully choosing where to buy based on the specific item.

They actively keep tabs on things like sales and campaigns, or compare prices for items Mom mentioned wanting.

Hattori: Among dual-income dads these days, more are personally selecting brands for shampoo and detergent. They don't just buy what Mom tells them to; they actively seek out good products themselves.

Though we've heard some stories about dads buying slightly pricier items and getting booed by their wives... Observing childcare and consumption patterns, we see a trend of "dad becoming mom-like" – handling tasks traditionally seen as mom's role – while also leveraging "dad's areas of expertise" and balancing responsibilities with mom.

Kishibe: Since the Papalab researchers are also readers of "Hanako Papa," hearing their impressions and requests is incredibly reassuring. We want to use the "real voices" gathered by Papalab—which are on a completely different scale from our surveys—to create truly useful content for dads.

Hattori: There must be many dads like us who don't know what the "right" way to play with their kids is, or who want to know how the other dads they see daily at daycare are handling childcare. We want to work together to create media that makes parenting more enjoyable for those people. Thank you for today.