June 2012 Moms
mymonkeykeys
member
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Wow!! I think I need to move abroad.....
mymonkeykeys
member
until I finish having kids. LOL Check out this article I just found. Good to know the good ol' USA is one of the cheapest and most unfamily friendly countries in the world!
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Re: Wow!! I think I need to move abroad.....
Make a pregnancy ticker
Make a pregnancy ticker
Personally, I find it a bit, well, overwhelming listening to the complaints of people not wanting the government to interject into the economic business side of things, only to complain about these sort of issues.
Anyhow, you can go to Sweden and receive great maternity leave benefits, but it comes as a high cost. I'm glad I'm not paying their taxes, especially if I was a citizen not using their services.
I have to say I am glad I moved to the UK before having kids. With public healthcare (which I have been more than happy with) I have never paid one cent (or pence) for anything regarding having children. All doctor/midwife/hospital visits are free, no co-pays. Pregnant women and women with children under the age of 1 also get free prescription drugs and free dental care.
In term of maternity leave, I was told to take my full vacation allowance (22 days) at full pay before oficially starting mat leave, then I got 6 weeks at 90% pay, then 39 week of statutory maternity pay (about 123 British pounds per week). I can take a further 3 months off without pay to make a full year of mat leave, but since I got pregnant again 10 weeks after having DD I get another 39 weeks of statutory maternity pay and another year off work. Plus everyone, no matter how much money you make, recieves child benefit. It's over 20 British pounds per week from birth until the child turns 16 years old.
All of this is awesome for me, but it does sound a bit crazy considering what a shambles the economy is in. Other European countries offer even more. My friend has kids in Sweden and I think she got her full pay for a year. Plus I know child benefit and maternity pay are almost double what I get in Ireland. No wonder Europe is broke!
I agree that their taxes are a lot higher, but their cost of living is also much different than in North America. It's adjusted so you can still survive. It would be completely different if you were taxed at the Swedish rate, making an American/Canadian wage and trying to live with American/Canadian costs of housing, utilities and food.
Even somewhere, like in Dubai, a doctor may only make half of what the same doctor would make in the states, but their cost of living is completely different that the Dr is still considered wealthy, even though they're paid half as much as a US Dr.
Maybe I get taxed out the wazoo and don't notice, though
claudia poirier
Little Dude: 16 Apr. 2009 | Little Doll: 10 Jun. 2012
Maybe, but I think it speaks volumes that the US is one of only FOUR COUNTRIES that don't offer it.