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1. When is your birthday? How do you celebrate your birthday these days?
2. Where were you born? How old was your mother at the time? What do you know about your birth*?
3. To what generation do you belong to**? Do you feel lucky to have been born into that generation? Why?
4. What is your birth order (e.g. first son, second child)? How much older and younger are your siblings? Do you feel fortunate about your birth order? Why?
5. Do you have kids? If yes, what do you remember about their birth(s)? If not, would you like to have kids? Why?
6. Japan has a rapidly falling birth rate and an impending population crisis. Tell me about one thing you have heard about that families, celebrities, local governments, central government, businesses or non-profits have done to encourage more births in Japan.

* time of day, location (home/hospital), complications at birth, duration of labor, first visits from family etc. ** 1920~1949 = "Interwar Baby", 1950~1069 = "Baby Boomer", 1970~1985 = "Generation X", 1986~1999 = "Millennial", 2000~ = "Centennial"

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Question 1

My birthday is February 11th, 1973. I don't celebrate at all. My family usually forgets my birthday. I like it that way, because I don't want to get any older. I'll keep my age a secret.

Question 2

I was born at Emerson Hospital in Concord, Massachusetts. My mother was 45 years old. In 1973 it wasn't common for mothers to have children past 40. My birth was very complicated as I was premature by two months. My mother and I both almost died during my birth. My cousin Mary was maternity nurse in the delivery room at the time. She helped save both of us. My father wasn't there as he was traveling with his Jazz band.

Question 3

I am a generation Xer. I'm not sure if I feel lucky to have been born in this generation. I feel lucky just to be alive and living in Japan with my family.

Question 4

I'm the youngest of eight children. I do feel lucky to be the youngest. I was taken care of by all of my siblings and spoiled on Christmas holidays. My mother died when I was 12 so I wish that I had more time with her before she died. She was sick with cancer for eight years before she died. So most of my time spent with her was visiting the hospital.

Question 5

I have two children Miwa (almost 8(Dec 6th)) and Jun (3 1/2). I remember everything about Miwa's birth. It was an emergency cesarean birth. It was really scary. My wife was in labor for 36 hours before the operation. It was very stressful, but Miwa was a very healthy and beautiful baby. I don't remember much about Jun's birth as I wasn't allowed to be in the operating room in Japan.

Question 6

The local governments have increased their per child baby bonuses and reduced healthcare costs a little.

Tough Vocabulary

- English -	- Japanese -
complicated	複雑な
premature	時期尚早
siblings	兄弟
cesarean birth	帝王切開