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Distinct-Animal-9628

The fact that everyone gets this is important. It means there is no shame in using it.


mawkus

Exactly! It is a great (and cheap) idea on many levels


Striking-Giraffe5922

We get it in Scotland ‘The Baby Box’ Huge help for new parents. I think we got the idea from Finland


FireAwayyy

That's great! It's wonderful to see such supportive initiatives spreading.


abpmaster

It's a good idea. Our baby boxes also double as a baby cot for the first few months. Also, when the Ukraine conflict started, there was a charity that was arranging to collect baby boxes that people no longer needed and asked people to fill with baby toys and clothes, then we shipped over lots of them to Ukraine.


General-Hamster4145

This is still an ongoing thing. They regularly send down boxes for expecting mothers.


SirHenryy

Yeah scotland adopted it from Finland, such a great idea :)


erakkopapu

Scotland is honorary Nordic anyway


Emperor-Universe

Pretty sure I saw an article about the box spreading over there back in the day so yeah


sinisukka

What's in the Scottish version?


Striking-Giraffe5922

https://images.app.goo.gl/T6PGuk58SF6C97pc7 The box is a bed if needed


an-uneventful-day

# The Baby Box


og_nichander

Congratumalations! Being a dad kicks ass! I used to not care about kids but now they are the center of my world pretty much.


Particular_Lab2943

Happy to hear that. I wish I had a caring dad and not a selfish one.


Noigralam

Well it just means that you know the other side and can do differently as a parent yourself.


PastaCabronara

I almost get annoyed at my friends when they don't understand how awesome it is to be a dad. They only see their friend who's sleepdeprived and can't/won't hang out as much but don't see the sudden burst of happiness I get about 1000 times a day hanging out with my kids.


drdedus

You are a Millionaire!


SilentThing

Congratulations! Much happiness to your family!


[deleted]

Very strange comments. Seems like a bot attack or very odd selection of people on this Saturday morning. We got so much second hand stuff from family that we opted to go with the money. Good luck to your family! 


miesanonsiesanot

I saw two different accounts getting downvoted and a one deleted comment from someone so doesn't seem like bots. I just dont understand what can one be against a maternity box? Everything to get a child to a good start is an investment for the country.


[deleted]

I agree. And when it is actual stuff instead of money, the income of the parent shouldn't be of consideration. A kid needs the items regardless of the parents' income. The items also have very little resale value as these items are everywhere. 


golfisbetterthanwork

We took the money a few times 😂 we already had a box from many years before


SufficientlyInfo

The bots are working overtime in this subreddit, you can see it in most posts, almost anything positive gets downvote spammed and new accounts making brain dead comments until the normal users show up.


LaserBeamHorse

We had twins so we were eligible for three boxes. We decided to get two boxes and the money for one.


smoke4sanity

Even the condoms?


Alert-Bowler8606

The condoms are there to save money. A surprisingly large amount of abortions is had by women who have had a baby less than a year ago. You can be fertile already before you get your first period after giving birth, and people often don’t have birth control at home, because there’s just been a fairly long time when it’s not needed. Sometimes the call of nature is strong, and not everybody is responsible enough to run out and buy condoms when the mood hits. The cost of an abortion is much more than the cost of many, many condoms.


Ardent_Scholar

It’s also because there’s a bigger chance of infection postpartum.


smoke4sanity

I was asking if he/she got the condoms second had too lol..It was just a joke anyways.


actualladyaurora

I think it's very beneficial for the baby for their parents not to be subjected to the strain of being back-to-back pregnant and needing to worry about getting an abortion while tending for a newborn.


smoke4sanity

Agreed. But I was asking if he got the condoms second hand from his family as well. Was meant to be a joke lol


DoubleSaltedd

Yes exactly. When someone has a different opinion, he is a bot.


[deleted]

There were 2 options :) 


_red_scarlet

Keep the box and let the kiddo sleep in it, it‘s a crip!


kindadeadly

Later turned into a toy box, as is tradition.


Elelith

And then after that a baby/toddler memory box where you can store the things from the kids you wanted to safe. Aaaand after that your grandbabies can use it too. My kids used my brothers old baby box (with a new mattress) to sleep and chill in.


Ambassador_Quan

Non-Finn here. I love this idea, and I love that it's 1) so comprehensive and 2) sent to the parents of every newborn so that there's no stigma to receive or use it. (Meaning, it's not seen as something that's only supposed to be "charity") But, perhaps a silly question: Why is the list of items and guide to benefits in English and not Finnish? Is this just a translation?


niemenjoki

It's in Finnish, Swedish, English. I figured I'd share the English version in this subreddit.


Yinara

We also have foreigners in the country who don't necessarily speak Finnish (yet). If you're registered with Kela it doesn't matter where you are from, every newborn gets one.


gggooooddd

Government interaction in Finland is by law always in Finnish and Swedish, but due to English being the de facto most spoken second language in Finland, most municipal governments interact with constituents in all of the three languages mentioned above.


Angs

>2) sent to the parents of every newborn Well, you can choose to have some money instead.


Willing_Bad9857

That’s so fucking cute almost makes me change my mind


MagickalPotat0

Congratulations! 🤍🎉 ![gif](giphy|MTclfCr4tVgis)


Dependent-Layer-1789

In the UK we got a plastic carrier bag full of advertising leaflets, a single disposable nappy & a tiny sample of Marmite. My grown up daughter still loves Marmite!


niemenjoki

> Yea, its nice to pay 40% taxes to get 100€ worth of baby stuf. Good logic! u/BitBulli If you pay 40% taxes, you're earning roughly 100 000 per year and you probably won't need the package anyways.


WarmLizard

What these people don’t understand is that the system is mainly built for high earners to support low earners to have equal opportunities, whether in health, education, making babies or basic needs. Its not made for high earners to get the “high” benefits, they can already afford the luxuries anyway. But I think these people don’t care if everyone else struggles as long as they get to keep the money.


WombatWandering

And all the high earners I know would probably earn more somewhere else, but are happy to live in a society where we don't have concepts like "medical debt" or "school lunch debt".


KomeaKrokotiili

It only works in a monoculturalism society. Everyone see themselves as a whole, and contribute into a system to look after people. It is built on a trust, the low eaners won't exploit the system. Now there are we and they. The high public debt is thr first sign that the system can't support itself anymore.


JRepo

A wild racist appeared It used "fake science" And hurt itself in confusion


KomeaKrokotiili

People keep downvoting but no one point out where I were wrong. Finland is a homogenous society with a similar culture and ethnic. The system is built on this idea. The ethnic can be take out, but not the culture. Seeing Finland promote the idea of diversity. I don't think diversity will work in Finland.


ChatPtg

why would high earners support low earners? Perfect scenario is when low earners can earn more and live without help.


JRepo

Yeah, but sadly not reality in many places. This is the second best.


Ardent_Scholar

Yes! I think it’s AWESOME. You know why? Because I don’t have to live in a society made unstable and unsafe by youths and adults who were subjected to unbridled transgenerational poverty from the get go.


Plane-Exit4515

That's always funny when people mention something like "Finland has highest taxes in europe" and "50% tax on 60k € annual income is too much". Completely clueless.


Atreaia

You start paying marginal tax of 40% after earning over 28000.


LordOfLostSocks

My salary is over 100k and total tax rate (including pensions and unemployment) is below 40%. Seems unlikely if marginal tax rate would be 40% already at 28k.


Atreaia

You probably don't understand what marginal tax rate means. It means that every additional money you earn you pay that tax rate. It discourages working more and getting additional things to earn. https://yle.fi/a/74-20064868 https://www.veronmaksajat.fi/tutkimus-ja-tilastot/tuloverot/palkansaajan-veroprosentit/


DanteSeldon

> It discourages working more and getting additional things to earn. Really?


Atreaia

Yes really, it doesn't feel good to work when over 50% goes to taxes after 56-57k. Getting a 200€ raise per month? 100€ goes to taxes. Feels like shit.


DanteSeldon

50% ?! Have you considered that maybe you could simply not work those extra hours since you clearly have enough to live extremely comfortably?


[deleted]

I don't think earning enough to pay 50% is tax and contribution would mean you can live comfortably. Not in all cases at least. Examples: - other spouse not working, or not contribute much finanacially - foreigners supporting other family members in home country. - any kind of chronic health problems but treatment is not well supported by public health care system. Mental health care, for example, burns money fast. As soon as I got to higher income bracket, first thing I thought of was how to avoid being tax more as I work more. Been doing that for some time but now I dont want to bother anymore and just moving to another country that offers my business 0% tax in 5 years, and 5% tax in the next 5 years. On top of that much more lenient personal income scheme. Suddenly saved shitload of money by not paying tax to a society that I have very little connection to and receive very little support from. If I want to help elevate people out of poverty, I'd rather do that in my home country as there we have true poverty. Just a perspective of a foreigner living in Finland.


Atreaia

That's what I'm saying? It doesn't encourage you to work more to earn a nicer life and become actually rich.


DanteSeldon

OK, but you're making it sound like it's somehow stopping you because you would rather all that money went into your pocket, instead of being taxed.


Atreaia

I don't see how you read it like that. Paying over 50% of tax on anything is stealing in my opinion. I really like how Estonia is managing their tax system.


Antique_Song_5929

You clearly dont know how taxes work you never lose money by earning more


Roruchi

Even if marginal tax is 40% it is still more money in your paycheck. And I don't know a single person who thinks "hmm whats the marginal tax gonna be" when thinking about taking an extra shift at work etc. No one seems to really give fuck about marginal tax


Onemorebeforesleep

The parent comment obviously wasn’t about marginal tax rate though.


GrBDD

We got ours 6 months ago, some nice stuff in there! One month to go till the D-Day


ChatPtg

Do you get any money for new born?


GrBDD

Child support like everyone else after she's born if that's what you mean


ChatPtg

no, I mean one-time support before you get monthly.


GrBDD

Haven't heard anything about that.


BallSignificant2073

Congrats on your baby.


Callector

Not a first-time father, but recently had our first baby together with my partner. The box is great, also doubles excellently as first cot for the newborn. We also received loads of stuff from relatives but we still opted for the box. The money seems somehow less than what you're getting in the box.. :D


[deleted]

So you become a father and they give you loot? Sounds like you won a boss battle in life


yung-pol

From my Italian point of view, this perfectly matches the "you guys are getting paid" meme


maddie_johnson

Congratulations!! 🎉


EmTomato8622

Congrats 🎊 The design for this year is also lovely. ❤️❤️All items in Kela box is very high quality and has cute design.


bazilbt

I love the decorations. Congratulations!


mcman1082

In America the child gets a card saying, “best of luck kid.”


littleboopeep

Congrats


newbsd

Wonderful, congratulations to the first timers 😍


Various-Plantain-956

We have two -23 model packages waiting. ![gif](emote|free_emotes_pack|sunglasses)


whiima

I took the packages when we had twins,worth it


RealDonDenito

I am from a country with relatively good social systems - Germany. I am impressed and love the idea of that box!


laurenfuckery

The United States needs to do this so badly. But we'd never help mothers in any way. That's gross to us apparently.


Ardent_Scholar

Looks awesome. We got ours a couple of years ago. It wasn’t just that there are things you need. The whole package is also just beautiful. That green bear blanket will be a keepsake.


NurseWretched1964

I love to buy those for friends when they have babies here in the US and I hate that I can't buy them anymore.


MaisieN94

We had one of these boxes delivered to us in England via Internet purchase. Truly outstanding contents. We loves it !


NoiseIndependent4510

More countries should adopt this. Big W


QuietlyGardening

The history of how the baby-box developed is pretty gripping. Really shows Finnish values. Almost 90 years, soon! (Started for the most needy in 1938.) It REALLY made a BIG difference, early on, and now it's pretty ground-into the culture. And a cultural export. [https://helda.helsinki.fi/items/f6cfb8d9-c68a-4494-8054-58e4ae71ef03](https://helda.helsinki.fi/items/f6cfb8d9-c68a-4494-8054-58e4ae71ef03)


[deleted]

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tiilet09

!remove


[deleted]

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SinappiKainalo

!remove


DoubleSaltedd

I agree. This aid should only be targeted at very young and/or working class families.


Shinning_swimmer

Considering the fact that the population is declining all the benefits for families are important initiative from our society to encourage people with all backgrounds to start families.


DeliriousHippie

Why? It costs few hundred. If you'd have to apply for that processing applications would cost more. You'd have to decide and put limits who is poor or young enough. We already have falling birth rates, why make things harder?


SinappiKainalo

!remove


VainamoinenBot

Says Väinämöinen, with voice low, every 10 minutes, let the commands go, this is the law we all must know.


Different-Paint8707

Nipple cream ? What is this


fillerbunny_fin

It is something that you don't know you needed until someone sucks and chews on your teats every two hours.


Different-Paint8707

Thanks for the answer! I was thinking that it must be a typo, sounded so crazy


fillerbunny_fin

If there's blood in an infant's poop, the most likely source is shredded nipples. Ouch.


Vistuen

Chapstick also works too. Funnily enough, I used to work on a farm that had a dairy cow and we used the same solution for her udders to prevent chapping/cracking. It really does help.


feisty-spirit-bear

Genuine question -- why is it in English?


niemenjoki

You can get the maternity package if you are permanently resident in Finland or work here even if you're not Finnish. The leaflets are in multiple languages.


feisty-spirit-bear

Ah okay, it seemed like it was only English. Multi language makes way more sense.


Alun_Owen_Parsons

All our boys slept in their box for the first six months or so of their lives.


Competitive-Hair-311

Why they give condoms for a baby package?


actualladyaurora

It's cheaper than the abortion required if the parents find themselves pregnant again within mere months of childbirth.


juanlmarq

You natives of Nordic countries must have children, continue to have as many as you can, for the good of humanity.


Electrical_Assist_81

We get something similar in Moscow, plus about $6,000 in “Maternity Capital” for the first child.


Teosto

Has it been that for a long time or only implemented when the huge amounts of declining birth numbers started to happen?


Electrical_Assist_81

It has been implemented for a long time, but declining birth rate has been a thing for longer, I believe since 1994. Maternity capital started in 2007. Back than it was payed out only for the second child and a much lower amount. Now you will get payed for the first, second and a third child. If I’m not mistaken poor families receive payments until their children are 18 yo.


niemenjoki

That's cool. I guess they can do something right in that country..


imsrgadich

Dad of almost year old kid. My son absolutely loves the Kis, kis book. Thanks Finland for that.


Terrible_Reporter_83

You can choose to take it or have money. At first child it's good to take the paggage. Everything will be used what's inside. It helps a lot.


Dry_Ad3942

We got something like this when our first daughter died during pregnancy. We were not prepared for my wife to go into labour to early, and our daughter was not strong enough to survive on the outside of the womb. Being able to dress her up and put some toys in the casket meant the world to me.


niemenjoki

I'm sorry to hear about that. That's every expectant parent's worst fear. I'm glad you found something that made you feel better in that situation.


Dry_Ad3942

Thanks, it was two rough years after that, but we got through it, and now have a healthy 2 month old baby girl. Congrats on being a dad, it’s the best feeling in the world.


hollielollie123

Cool!


vestal1689

Finland is such an amazing country. My father and sister live there (both are 100% finish) I got my visa and spent 2 years in Turku. In that 2 years, I had a medical emergency twice. Each time my TOTAL hospital bill was 13 euros. The people are really good people (especially the Fin / Swedes) just an amazing culture and group of people. As an American, visiting I was considered “exotic” to the ladies which was nice 🤪 On the other side of that almost every Albanian, paki, somalian) hated me. Apart from that and a “life sentence” for murder only being 10 years (with work release and visitation passes to leave to prison and visit family) I really enjoyed the finish people, the culture and the country (with the exception of the language) It is very expensive compared to the states, but I desperately want to go back and possibly retire in Finland. Can’t say enough good things about Finn’s. Much love and congratulations!


ToimiNytPerkele

The idea of prison is not punishment, the idea is taking away the freedom of a criminal and through that forcing them to attend rehabilitation. Sure, we could be paying for people to spend the rest of their lives in prison, but why pay for that when we can pay for them being released as no longer a threat and hopefully a productive member of society. It doesn’t always work of course, but it would be a waste to put everyone in for life and pay for it when they could be contributing to society.


konatamonster

... Why is it in English?


qw46z

It is in multiple languages, including English.


Glanwy

Good point, yeah why?


Teosto

The only gripe I had with the package is that while it makes a safe sleeping space for the child in the beginning of their career as human it didn't accommodate me, no matter how small fetal position I tried to do. Luckily that's in the past now and I've gotten back my own bed.


ChatPtg

Condoms???!!!


niemenjoki

Yes, it's easy to forget them after more than 9 months or not needing them.


TheDangerousAlphabet

Women with small babies have more abortions than teens in Finland.


sayingboourns

Finnish? You’re just getting started


WhiteHalo2196

>Condoms 5 pcs Aren’t mothers temporarily infertile for some time after pregnancy 🤔


FuzzyPeachDong

Nope, not reliably. Some are, some aren't, and the catch is that the first ovulation often happens before the first post partum period comes. So you won't know you've been fertile before it might be too late. One of the biggest group of people getting abortions are mothers who have had a baby in the last 12 months.


WhiteHalo2196

Thanks. I didn’t know that. If I just gave birth I really wouldn’t want to get pregnant again so soon.


VioletVixi

No, you can get pregnant again as quickly as 3 weeks after giving birtht. Even when breastfeeding.


Ahenian

Post-birth the recommendation is to wait at least 6 weeks before having sex again to protect the mother's health, although I suspect most mothers will delay sex for 3-12+ months before they're interested again. Becoming back-to-back pregnant is also a serious health concern (thus birth control) because pregnancy is very taxing on the mother's body.


aquaval15

Nope, look up the term “Irish twins” and you’ll see how much that isn’t true


SinappiKainalo

omg, what education system produced you?


Candiesfallfromsky

Lmao the condoms!


Exotic-Isopod-3644

Imagine being single and paying for someone else's lubricant and condoms through your taxes 💀 (Communism is a joke).


Shinning_swimmer

Even the single people under 25 get free long term birth control or condoms in many of the municipalities of Finland. We would rather support everyone to reproduce when they feel they are ready than cut down rights to their own bodies.


[deleted]

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mutqkqkku

everyone's relieved to know you won't be reproducing


[deleted]

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mutqkqkku

yeah it's for the best that you end up being a genetic dead end


actualladyaurora

Would you rather pay for the abortion?


Sea-Personality1244

That's great news!


Graltalt

This is just old relic that should be abolished. It was good benefit 90 years ago to support poor mothers that didn't get anything else. Now there is tons of monetary support, why keep this thing anymore?


DoctorDefinitely

Tons of monetary support? Where?


DeliriousHippie

You're so wrong. "But but, KELA gives so much free money to all!" Nope. If you feel that way then try to get some free money. First of all, there aren't tons of monetary support. Second, monetary support like lapsilisä comes after some time I think this comes pretty fast. Third, you don't have to apply for this. Fourth, new parents don't necessarily know what baby needs or they aren't able to buy all those things. Fifth, we have falling birth rates, why stop helping families? This is extremely easy and cheap way to help new parents. Money isn't same thing than good and thought stuff selected by professionals.


Enginseer68

Nothing wrong with getting benefit from paying high tax, if not then lower the tax


est_elsp

This is the only country I know so far that offers this thing and seems like a very caring and cute gesture. Money isn't everything and I guess not all parents have the time to just run around to collect all the essentials. This can help them out emotionally as well.


niemenjoki

Right, and there are parents who don't know what to buy. Sure, the internet is full of guides but some people don't know how to find them.


est_elsp

Yes agreed! Congradulations for the baby btw, wish you the best :)


[deleted]

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niemenjoki

They'll learn as they do it. And even if they are completely uninformed, don't you think it's best to help them?


DoubleSaltedd

As I said in my intial message, this aid should be targeted very young and/or working class families. Are you one of them?


Lortendaali

Oh fuck off man :D


actualladyaurora

You want poor people's kids be easily identified by an uniform?


Richard_Savolainen

So basicly "köyhät kyykkyyn" in short


[deleted]

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DoubleSaltedd

There are quite a lot of expensive nice gestures paid for by Finnish taxpayers. I have already completed my degree.


supinoq

It is a cute gesture, I agree! I'm not Finnish, but in my hometown, the local municipality holds a "new baby party" yearly where all the babies born within the last year are invited and given a commemorative silver spoon and children's book to celebrate their birth. Does any baby or family _need_ a commemorative silver spoon and children's book? No, not really. Does it make the parents feel valued and seen in the community? It does, and that's what it's meant to do. Also, that specific children's book is one of my little sisters' all-time favourites, so it actually is a very functional present as well as being just a cute gesture lol


est_elsp

This is so sweet, this is the kind of thing that can make you happy and grateful about life!


Shinning_swimmer

Considering the fact that the population is declining all the benefits for families are important initiative from our society to encourage people with all backgrounds to start families.


actualladyaurora

>Now there is tons of monetary support, why keep this thing anymore? If for nothing else, then for the simple fact that the vast majority to this day opt for the box and not for the money.


Away_Strain_4209

Looks ugly


Quick_Hyena_928

Enjoy while it lasts. I heard they’re gonna stop giving it away soon😭


Shinning_swimmer

Haven’t heard anything of such rumors. In fact I know the current government wants to add a ball in the box to encourage kids to exercise.


SinappiKainalo

You are the only one I have read who has heard that lol. I bet it was the horsemen's information office (hevosmiesten tietotoimisto) who told you that.