Monday, June 17, 2013

Finland has its priorities in order...

Click title for link to a BBC article on their infant care policies.  
For 75 years, Finland's expectant mothers have been given a box by the state. It's like a starter kit of clothes, sheets and toys that can even be used as a bed. And some say it helped Finland achieve one of the world's lowest infant mortality rates.
And this...
Expectant parents all over the world considered moving to Finland last week after the BBC’s report Why Finnish babies sleep in cardboard boxes (title link) went viral. What new mother wouldn’t want this care package: A cardboard box that doubles as a bassinet, and comes packed with bodysuits, a sleeping bag, outdoor gear, bathing products, diapers, and bedding — all care of the Finnish government. And that’s not all Finnish mothers get. Perks of having a pikkuvauva (little baby, in Finnish) include 105 days of paid maternity leave, 158 days of parental leave that can be shared between new parents, and then shortened hours until the child is two. Plus, paid child-care leave and free daycare. OK, sure, Finns pay pretty high taxes that can reach beyond 50% in some instances. It’s still little wonder Finland is the 9th happiest country in the world.
— By Barbara Kollmeyer, Jonnelle Marte and Quentin Fottrell
At one time, Lake Worth had the largest concentration of Finns living outside of Finland.