[German mums-to-be are avoiding actions that may bring on labour] Posted on 12/28/2006 9:06:51 AM PST by kiriath_jearim
Many German mothers-to-be are reportedly trying to delay labour so their births coincide with a generous new government scheme.
Parents of babies born on or after 1 January will be entitled to up to 25,200 euros (£16,911, $33,300) to ease the financial burden of parenthood.
[German mums-to-be are avoiding actions that may bring on labour]
But those born even a minute earlier will not be covered by the scheme.
The cash subsidies are part of a government initiative to boost Germany's dwindling birth rate.
German women have an average of 1.37 children, well below the average of 2.1 needed to keep a population stable. One minister recently warned of "the lights going out".
Under the current system of Elterngeld, parents receive a maximum of 7,200 euros (£4,831, $9,472) over two years.
But the parents of children born in 2007 will be granted over two thirds of their former salary for up to a year - up to 25,200 euros.
'Let nature take its course'
Doctors have been warning women not to take any medication to try to delay labour, and few, they stress, would put the life of their baby at risk for the sake of the money.
But what many mums-to-be do in order to bring on labour, pregnant Germans are now anxious to avoid.
These include drinking red wine, eating curries and taking part in physical activity.
Midwives are also advising women to avoid cinnamon and cloves - a staple of German Christmas cooking.
And it was to the government's festive spirit that a Berlin bishop appealed this week when he asked for the start date for the new benefits to be brought forward.
"It would be an anti-bureaucratic act in the spirit of Christmas to move the date from 1 January to 24 December," Wolfgang Huber, a leader of the Protestant church, said in the Berliner Morgenpost newspaper.
All babies born on December 31 will have the same first name. I forget what it is but I think it means "little selfish bastard" in German.
They are having to pay their citizens to procreate? What a crock of sh*t.
Ah! Sweet Socialism! Germans have brought it to perfection.
My second child was born on New Year's eve, at 11:20 in the afternoon. He was two weeks late. In fact the pediatrician said he was two weeks old at birth, with long hair and finger nails that needed trimming but absolutely healthy. He had three month colic that lasted 2 1/2 months. Now he's a geologist who also plays banjo professionally. Don't know what that has to do with this thread but I'm really proud of him.
In light of current demographic trends, such plans are understandable, and probably even reasonable. Even though they are well-intentioned, the problem will be that the 'Germans' most likely to take advantage are those who don't need any encouragement to have children in the first place; i.e. the Muslim population.
Kleinselbstsüchtigbastard.......
LOL!
What are they going to have to pay them to do in the future? What a bunch of nanny-staters.
In game in Germany, "Banging for Bucks"
They should lower the tax rates and make having a family more affordable. In liue of that, lower the taxable income on those with more than two children and heavily tax those with none.
That would be hard to write on a birth certificate........
It's a pretty hefty payout. Taxpayers gotta love it. < /s >
Maybe if their taxes were lower, they wouldn't need to work two jobs to cover expenses to pay for a child.
They'll just do it with a stamp:
KSSB
I don't disagree with your assessment, its just that I can understand the action in light of the desperate demographic situation. Clearly, its a bandaid on a gunshot wound, and what really needs to be addressed is their entire economic/govt system, and immigration policies. As it is, they've chosen an easier solution, though in the end it likely won't be any solution at all.
Sounds like 3rd and 4th generation welfare recipients. This is just beyond ludicrous. God is gone from Germany. Now the government is their god. God said go and multiply, now the government is going to pay you to do it. I like God's way better.
Or nickname....Schweinhund!.......
A smart idea.
Wasn't that the "safety word" from Euro Trip?
Good for you!
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