A New Beginning Where Hope and Anxiety Intersect
On February 28th, a major turning point arrived in my life. My long-awaited son was born. While enveloped in joy, the responsibility of being an entrepreneur weighed heavily on my shoulders. The thought crossed my mind: "If child-rearing takes up my time, should I compromise somewhat on my career?"
This dilemma, faced by many parents, is particularly acute for technologists and entrepreneurs. Product evolution doesn't wait, market changes grant no reprieve. Yet, moments of a child's growth never return. Between these two conflicting demands, I would discover a new possibility.
The catalyst was, coincidentally, a development approach I had begun working with around the same time: "Vibe Coding." This approach of collaborative coding between AI and humans unexpectedly illuminated a path to balancing childcare and work.
Why might AI change the traditionally "difficult balance" between parenting and work? Drawing from my experiences during this past month as a new father, I want to explore the possibilities of this new way of working.
The Courage to Question Assumptions: Transforming the Impossible into the Possible
"Childcare is demanding, so naturally work productivity must decline." Isn't this assumption an "accepted truth" that many of us have unconsciously embraced? Yet, technological evolution has often overturned such "common sense".
Before my son was born, I thought, "childcare must support my wife as the highest priority, so perhaps I should compromise somewhat on my career." This is likely a sincere thought many people share. However, experiencing it firsthand, the AI collaboration approach unexpectedly rewrote this equation.
The Aim of This Blog: Sharing Hope Born from Experience
This article is not merely a technical explanation for those on technology's frontier. Nor is it a parenting how-to guide. Rather, it's a reflection on the paradigm shift in balancing work and childcare made visible by the emergence of AI as a new partner.
I hope the surprises and discoveries from my month of firsthand experience offer new perspectives to those with similar concerns, especially those who wish to excel as technologists or entrepreneurs while valuing their role as parents.
First Steps in Parenting: Prioritizing for Survival
When preparing for my son's birth and starting actual childcare, my first approach was ruthless prioritization. This applied business thinking to the home front.
I not only separated things into "to do" and "not to do," but also clearly classified tasks as "nice to have" and "must have." Then I thoroughly let go of all "nice to have" items from the start.
For example, meal preparation. Initially, we intended to cook at home for healthier meals. However, that proved difficult in reality. So we introduced meal kit services like "nosh" and Pal System, abandoning cooking from scratch.
My wife initially resisted. She thought "we should make healthy meals ourselves for the baby." But once childcare began, she realized there simply wasn't capacity for this. Now she appreciates the time saved.
This parallels the "MVP" (Minimum Viable Product) concept in product development. Focus only on the absolute essentials at first, then gradually expand as you become accustomed. Overloading yourself from the beginning and burning out defeats the purpose.
Innovation Adoption is Challenging at Home Too
Interestingly, there are striking similarities between introducing innovation in companies and trying new approaches at home.
Introducing a new service like "nosh" wasn't easy. Sensing my wife's resistance, I first purchased and started using it on my own. Through actual use, she gradually shifted to "this might be acceptable."
This follows exactly the same process as innovation adoption in companies. People instinctively resist the unknown. Yet after actually experiencing something, they begin to understand its value. Having them experience it is more effective than explaining it verbally.
Embracing Asynchronous Communication
Another crucial strategy was switching work communication to asynchronous methods whenever possible.
Babies cry unpredictably. Participating in Zoom meetings in such circumstances isn't just logistically difficult—it creates immense psychological pressure.
So I politely declined even invitations for "just a quick meeting," explaining my situation and requesting a shift to asynchronous communication via email or chat.
The idea that "I can manage a little bit" is actually a significant trap. Such compromises accumulate into major stress and ultimately reduce performance. From the beginning, I created an environment minimizing my stress, then sought ways to deliver solid results within those constraints. This became my fundamental strategy.
The Surprising Compatibility Between Life with a Newborn and Vibe Coding
My greatest discovery was that childcare and coding—activities seemingly as incompatible as oil and water—could become remarkably compatible through AI mediation.
"If supporting my wife with childcare must be the highest priority, should I compromise somewhat on my career?"
This thought I had before facing parenthood changed significantly after one month of experience.
Effective Use of Intermittent Time Through Asynchronous Development
The most prominent change in life with a newborn is the loss of uninterrupted time. Feeding, diaper changes, soothing—these arrive regularly but at unpredictable intervals. In traditional programming, such "fragmented time" would be fatal.
Programming requires concentration and a "flow state." Once interrupted, regaining the train of thought carries a significant cost. This is why many programmers lament that "days filled with meetings mean no coding."
With Vibe Coding, however, the situation transforms entirely. In AI collaboration, humans handle "implementation instructions" and "directional confirmation," while AI does the actual coding. This division of roles makes utilization of intermittent time possible.
For instance, during feeding time. While operating a smartphone with one hand, I give the AI instructions for the next implementation step. When I return to work after bathing the baby, the AI has progressed with the code as instructed and awaits the next decision. This "waiting" characteristic makes development during parenting intervals a reality.
New Relationship Between Physical Presence and Virtual Collaboration
In childcare, physical presence and touch are essential. Conversely, collaboration with AI happens entirely in virtual space. Perhaps these contrasting activities can coexist because they don't interfere with each other but rather complement one another.
I give instructions to AI while holding my son, and conceptualize the next development step while changing diapers. A new way of working was born here—simultaneously living in the physical and virtual worlds.
This fusion, unimaginable in traditional programming, becomes possible because AI "doesn't feel the stress of waiting"—a fundamental characteristic. A human colleague might feel anxiety or impatience during hours of silence, but AI can wait without imposing such psychological burden.
Realizing Location-Independent Collaboration
Childcare is strongly tied to the physical space of "home." Especially during the newborn period, outings are limited. In traditional work styles, this was a decisive constraint.
However, in AI collaboration, location becomes almost irrelevant. Bedroom, living room, kitchen—development can continue anywhere in the house with just a smartphone.
This "liberation from location" offers immeasurable benefits to parents working while raising children. Direction and confirmation of development remain possible even in hospital waiting rooms, park benches, or cars.
The Changing Quality of Time: Development Efficiency Between Childcare Moments
My approach to time fundamentally changed. This became an opportunity to reconsider time from a "quality" perspective rather than merely "quantity."
Most impressive was the potential value of "small fragments of time." Periods of 10 or 15 minutes that I previously thought "too short to accomplish anything" became surprisingly productive with AI collaboration.
Milk Time: One-Handed Operation and Mental Planning
Late at night, while feeding my son with one hand, I operate my smartphone with the other. Even fighting drowsiness, I give the AI instructions for the next task. This represents a scenario unimaginable in traditional programming.
In traditional development, coding required both hands and full-screen concentration. However, with AI collaboration, the primary role becomes directional judgment—deciding "what to do." This functions adequately even with one-handed text input.
Even more interesting is how childcare "waiting time" becomes a valuable opportunity for mental planning. During the 15 minutes while my son drinks milk, I can organize the next development steps or design decisions. While the AI "waits," I can refine my next instructions.
Bath Time: AI Implementation and Human Thinking
"Even while bathing my child, code continues to be written." This represents one of the most impressive changes I've experienced.
I often handle my son's bath time, which takes about 15-20 minutes and requires completely stepping away from the computer. Traditionally, this "interruption" would destroy development flow.
With AI collaboration, it's entirely different. If I provide instructions for the next step before bath time, implementation progresses by the time I return. Moreover, thinking often becomes more organized during physical activities, enabling better decisions upon return.
This "digital detachment" (temporary withdrawal from digital engagement) enhances thought quality, which is explainable from a cognitive science perspective. Our brains continue processing problems at the unconscious level when we temporarily step away, often generating "insights."
Enhanced Thought Quality Through Secured Sleep Time
One of the greatest challenges for parents is sleep deprivation. Intermittent nighttime feeding and soothing make continuous sleep difficult. This typically significantly reduces work performance.
In traditional development, sleep deprivation proved fatal. Decreased concentration, increased bugs, depleted creativity—these symptoms commonly affect sleep-deprived programmers.
With AI collaboration, this impact diminishes. This occurs because the human role shifts from "detailed implementation" to "directional decision-making." Directional judgments can be made in focused, short periods, with subsequent implementation delegated to AI.
More fascinating is the synergy created by combining AI's 24-hour operational capability with human sleep cycles. By issuing task instructions before sleep, results await in the morning. This creates a new rhythm allowing development progress while securing sleep time.
New Work Possibilities Revealed Through Results
Reflecting after one month, I notice a surprising fact. While balancing childcare, I achieved results equal to or greater than my previous work style during this month. This isn't mere coincidence but stems from fundamental changes brought by AI collaboration.
Transition from "Results per Hour" to "Results per Period"
In traditional work styles, productivity evaluation typically centered on "how much code could be written per hour." However, AI collaboration overturns this premise.
What matters now isn't "how many consecutive hours one can work" but whether one can "provide direction even intermittently." This shift is revolutionary for parents because what childcare most depletes is "uninterrupted time."
My realization was that "results per period"—what's completed by day's end—actually improved. Even if daily work time became fragmented and decreased in total, the quality and quantity of final deliverables maintained or improved.
This isn't merely because AI writes code "faster"—a superficial reason. Rather, thinking during fragmented time likely increased opportunities for "contemplation," refining directional judgments.
Improved Decision Quality Through Time Constraints
Interestingly, time constraints appeared to enhance decision quality. Childcare's time limitations force prioritization clarity. Questions naturally arise: "Is this feature truly necessary?" "Is there a simpler solution?"
I found myself developing with focus on essential value rather than peripheral features I might have implemented "because I had time" in the past. This potentially results in more valuable outcomes for users.
Unexpected Effect: Enriched Technical Intuition Through Parenting Experience
Most surprising was how the parenting experience itself positively influenced technical thinking and creativity.
Interaction with new life awakens fundamental human emotions—joy, anxiety, anticipation. This emotional richness deepened "user empathy" in product development.
Sensitivity increased to questions like: "Is this interface intuitive for first-time users?" "Does this feature truly benefit people?"
This represents an unexpected byproduct of the parenting experience, but I find it extremely valuable for growth as a technologist.
Looking Forward: Harmony Between Parenting and Work Enabled by AI Collaboration
My month's experience extends beyond personal discovery. I believe the work transformation brought by AI collaboration holds potential to fundamentally change the relationship between parenting and work across society.
From "Monitor" to "Direction Provider": Fundamental Transformation of Work
The most fundamental change in AI collaboration is the human role. In traditional development, programmers were "code writers." With advancing automation, this evolved to "code monitors."
However, in AI collaboration, the role evolves to "direction provider." This isn't merely a change in task content but represents a fundamental transformation of work's essence.
This new role better accommodates parenting. Why? Because "providing direction" can be done with high quality even in short periods. It also more readily provides psychological and emotional fulfillment.
Considering parenting itself as an act of "providing direction," we discover profound commonalities between these activities. The parental role of guiding a child's growth and the human role of guiding AI development share remarkable similarities.
Evolution of Social Systems: New Coexistence Model for Parenting and Work
Beyond personal experience, AI collaboration potentially reconstructs the societal relationship between "parenting and work."
Many work-life balance challenges in modern society stem from "time and location fixity." The premise of physical presence in an office and working continuous hours has complicated compatibility with parenting.
As AI collaboration overturns this premise, more flexible work styles become possible. If high productivity maintains even with fragmented time, liberation from the traditional "9-to-5" work style becomes possible.
This extends beyond individual work styles to potentially driving transformation in social systems and corporate cultures. For instance, the concept of "working from home" might evolve in the AI collaboration era into a new form of "partial and intermittent engagement."
Technology Reclaiming Humanity: AI's Role in Protecting Intimate Time
Finally, I'd like to share the most important insight. The greatest value of AI collaboration may be the possibility of reclaiming "human time."
Ironically, through technological evolution, we've sacrificed the most human experiences—time with children, family meals, self-growth. However, appropriate collaboration with AI holds potential to reverse this trend.
From my month's experience, AI doesn't "reduce childcare time for work" but rather provides a new option to "progress work while maintaining childcare quality."
Witnessing a child's growth while fulfilling professional responsibilities—such harmony proved difficult with previous technologies. However, with AI as a new partner, this ideal is becoming reality.
Conclusion: From Personal Experience to Social Transformation
During this month as a new father and technologist, I glimpsed traces of new possibility. This represents not merely a superficial change of "increased convenience" but a profound shift fundamentally questioning the relationship between work and parenting.
What AI collaboration suggests isn't "either/or" but a new option of "both with high quality." Perhaps we should aim not for opposition between technology and humanity, but for harmony.
A society where one can feel fulfillment in creative work while being captivated by a child's smile. Might such a future be approaching through AI—an unexpected partner?
I hope this article provides new hope and perspectives for parents in similar situations, especially those active in technical fields.
