Holiday

It can't be stressed enough: if you bring up a kid with the help from a domestic maid - usually the case when both parents are working - be prepared to take leave when your maid is on leave too. That's the case for me over these two weeks.

It's hard to think of a better excuse to take vacation. Uh-oh! Don't forget to tell the kid that the nanny will be away. We did this over and over, each time giving our two-year-old a chance to accept and prepare for the separation. It can make a kid feel frustrated and left out.

After a few rounds of struggles, my daughter has learned to live without her maid. Of course, there are many ways to let her relax. Put our sandals on and bring her to the beach, and pretty soon, she was soaking herself in the water like a mermaid. To make this splashing experience even more a real standout, we brought her to Japan and plunge in an onsen. The first incredible thing my daughter knows about onsen is the ultimate freedom of going naked.

Relax. That's what onsen are all about. Ditto for being the parents.