in being upset (pissed off) with parents who bring their obviuosly sick children to the nursery?

[QuintessentialShadowOfSnowball]

Shouldnt a child that is coughing his guts out be home? Or with rosy red feverish cheeks? Why do some parents think it is ok to lumber nursery staff with children so ill they need carrying around all the time? Why do they think it ok to keep passing on the germs to other peoples children?

What happens in the Norwegian system if your child is ill?

Norway is very family friendly, I have never heard my friends complain about problems with work if their children are ill. I shall ask my sister whether parental work is paid or unpaid. I know it is around 11 weeks such as here.

What % do people pay in income tax in Norway?

Taxation (both direct and indirect) is quite high. Vat ranges from 12-25% and is levied on most goods and services.

I bet if the government raised taxes to fund the kind of schemes as seen in Norway and other European countries, there would be an enormous outcry.

Compared to the European countries that we are always comparing ourselves to, we do not pay as much tax as they do. If we want the services, the money has to come from somewhere.

Taxation is spanning quite a wide range, depending on your area of work and your salary. For example, if you work as a farmer or fisherman/person you are taxed at 7.8%. Otherwise tax range between 24.5 and 28%. You get tax breaks for having kids. Also, there is half tax in December (so as to afford Christmas) and also in July (so as to afford holiday). You have 5 weeks paid holiday per year, 3 of which should be consequtive. (Unless this has changed in recent years). Yes, tax may seem high, but salaries are so much higher. And the cost of living is nowadays pretty much the same as here.

Actually that doesn't sound like bliss to me. There is plenty of research done (which you either believe or you don't depending on your preference), that nurseries for under 2's aren't the best form of childcare and that in fact a smaller more domestic setting (like home or a childminder) is better.

Having said that, maybe the nurseries in Norway have a higher ratio of adult to child, with a more domestic atmosphere.

Also, my child hates the after school club. He wants to go home after school, not stay in school. He much preferred going to his CM, but she's now gone into teaching and I just haven't managed to find another one (she was so good I think she spoilt us for anyone else), so he just has to put up with it. But it's by not ideal.

Those taxes sound very low to me.

The higher tax band in Britain is 40% and it comes in quite low, I can't remember the figure now.

Mr Bubble and I want to move there. Now!

Have a friend who lives in Trompso {sp??}
Must go and visit...And stay.

Nurseries in Norway are usually big purpose built houses with a high staff to child ratio in many smaller departments within the nursery. They are usually surrounded by a big garden with plenty of play area and "natural" areas. But what you have to bear in mind is that the children are there for shorter time than here, where people have longer working hours. This means that they get longer time with their parents after nursery for having proper sit down dinner together, some play time and then supper rather than straight home and to bed. Also, many work places operate with summer and winter time, to allow people enjoy the good weather and daylight a bit better, so people often finnish work an hour earlier throughout the summer months. Quite bizarre.

Bauble Tromsoe

That's the one.

I really miss her. Her DS1 was at school here in London with my DS1 for five years.

Those lights are amazing, aren't they?

They are. Ohhh, I wonder if I know your friend, I am in London too.

We run a daycare nursery. Lots of our parents are Scandinavian and are really happy with our care. I don't think they are used to the idea of CMs, TBH.

Quintessential. We are in SW London.

Not the one in Wimbledon by any chance?

Richmond. Not far!

Oh, you should come to the post Christmas Meet in January, it is in Richmond!

Is there a link?

Is it in meet-ups?

I heard a parent say today that he had taken his DC to Nursery because it was the Xmas show then, and I quote "But I didn't mention that she had conjunctivitis"

Bauble here

I just spoke to my cousin, she tells me as a parent she can take 20 sickdays for her daughter, they are paid, so no loss in salary, and no reason to take a sick child to the nursery therefore. I asked her what happens if her daughter is ill beyond those 20 days, and she said she takes her to the gp that will "on his discretion" write a sick note out on the mum instead. This is what happens.

"Whether you are a single parent or not, you work, your child has a nursery place that cost very little"

But what if you don't want to work? What if you want to stay at home with your child until they are old enough for school?

Ok. What happens if you dont want to work here in the uk? Do the goverment just give you money to live on so you can just not work and enjoy a life of paid for leisure and enjoyment of your child?

Oh yes. I forgot. They do.

Not so easy in Norway, unless you have a husband with a well paid job.

I guess you could sign on as unemployed and get unemployment benefit. But in order to qualify for unemployment benefit you have to be actively seeking work, and work together with the jobcentre to get a job, go to interviews and suchlike. And if you turn down your third job offer, you lose your unemployment benefit.

Dont think there are any other benefits. Most people have to contribute to the society, through working. Tough luck, but there it is. Every coin has a flipside, right?

Not so bliss then afterall.

I think most people in the UK dont realize how lucky they are that a large chunk of the population can chose to be job free and be with their children, all paid for by the state. I dont see how, as most of us needs to work, whether we are in the UK, though most of us also want to be with our children.

I think it is pretty bliss in Norway, and I would not hesitate to move back, because seeing as I have to work, if I lived there I would work less be better paid and have more time with the kids.

Your definition of bliss may not be the same as mine though.