Finland's Baby Box

I saw this and it brought tears to my eyes. In Finland every baby gets just a few essentials from the government. And while I know that I probably wouldn't have needed it, I received 35 green bodysuits at my baby shower from enthusiastic family and friends, the idea of a country and and a culture that starts out every life with a gift is something special. There is much debate about an the American welfare state on one hand, and even if a woman should be able to have an abortion. I can't settle this debate here, but reading about this made me cry.  What if every child entered this life know that everyone was looking out for him or her, and wanted to make sure that their first few months were at least warm and safe?  Even the box it comes in can double as a bassinet.  Its just the basic hospitality that we  could give a new life.  Most of us have friends or families that do that, or at least the wealth the buy the odd blanket or diaper.

I feel like the Finnish people fully expect each infant recipient of this grant to become and law abiding productive member of society, and imagine that there is the belief that it is the child parents that are held most responsible for this. But why not start off with a well thought out gift that says, "Hey, this is what you might need to get started; we're pulling for your success."  I got a letter stating that my insurance company was charged $2,000 for an anesthesiologist that I never saw.  I felt that our system, and my culture were saying, "Congratulations, you had a baby, now its easier for us to scam you.  Now back to work."  I think we can do that a bit better, and make stronger families and healthier happier children in the end. Its not really about being the "nanny state", it's about investing in the lives of one another.

This is what you'd find in the what's called the Maternity Package can be found here.  What did you get from you're society when you had a baby?

First Day

Today was my sweet girl's first day of school. Well, it was her 'cubby day' so I was actually around for most of the morning. She seem a little unsure for just a moment, maybe a little quiet (for her) at first, but that didn't last.  A bowl of oats, and a few songs and she was getting into the swing of it. At recess she caught up with K., but only played with him for a few minuets. We already know several of the other children because they are our friends kids, and they are my older son's classmates. Not to mention A's naturally outgoing personality. So by the time noon rolled around she was absorbed in play and clearly didn't want to go!

I've always though the point of childhood is to grow out of it. Thank heavens, DS was an easy baby but not A.. She NEVER took a bottle from anyone, rashed up from disposable diapers and was what I call, "sitter resistant" (read 105 Db blood curling cries).  So Until about 15 months,  I was on baby-house-arrest.  Alas It ALL goes by so fast, even the house-arrest parts. Now she's heading out in the world and making her own friends.  K went through all this too but he was not ever so clingy in the first place, or maybe it was that we had a new baby at the time, but it didn't shake me so. Usually at every milestone I tell myself, "Well, its not like s/he's packing for Stanford, it's just XYZ." Every one says, you just blink, and they will be moving out. When they do pack up and launch I'm going to want them to go.

There were some tears as I left the classroom for the hour of no-mommy adjustment, but they were mine. Which got me totally off guard, because I am so happy to see her growing. I don't want her to stay a baby, and, well she isn't.

I know its been a while

Very much has happened in the last months: Kiran's growing each day, and I've been very busy with work, both very exciting. But the most exciting thing to have happened in the last few months is that I've found out that I'm pregnant again! some part of me is a little surprised that I'm up for it all that again, but I guess so. I'll be 10 weeks pregnant on Tuesday so that will put my due date at May 24th, but you know they should never give you a due date, it more like we'll have a Taurus/ Gemini cusp child. I'll be posting the tummy pictures here and facebook

I'm going to start this blog with the same quote that I ended my last one.

"Women constitute 50% of the world's population, do two-thirds of the world's work, and own one-tenth of the world's wealth. We are all raised in a culture that values men's work over women's work and men's lives over women's lives."


-- K. Soin, Member of Parliament, Singapore