The following questions will make great water cooler conversations tomorrow at work (or the playground). See how much Random Parenting Trivia you know and take this short quiz today!
You got it right! According to The Dr. Phil Show in an episode titled "the Working Moms vs The Stay-at-Home Moms", 71% of American households have a mother and father both working full-time.
Incorrect. According to The Dr. Phil Show in an episode titled "the Working Moms vs The Stay-at-Home Moms", 71% of American households have a mother and father both working full-time.
You got it right! The United States is the only country in the world who does not have a maternity leave program. Even Iraq, Mexico and Ethiopia have maternity leave programs.
The typical maternity leave for mothers in America: Mother works at her job until she goes into labor. By law, mother can take a 12 week unpaid maternity leave – but only if mother worked for employer the 12 previous months before her baby’s birth. If mother returns to work full time after her 12 week maternity leave, typically her infant is kept in a day care center 8-12 hours per day, 5 days per week. Feeling the financial pressure of having no income, many mothers go back to work after only 6 weeks. Most day care centers will accept infants as young as 6 weeks old.
Here’s how maternity leave works in Germany: Mother gets last trimester of pregnancy paid time off of work. Once the baby is born, mother receives 67% of her net income for an entire year (for a maximum of $2,500 per month). In addition to this, the government pays all mothers kindergelt (child money) to help support all families financially. Each family, regardless of income, receives the equivalent of $200 per month, per child, until the children are 18 years old.
The most generous maternal/paternal leave system is in Lithuania, where mothers are provided 8 weeks of 100% paid leave before the due date, 100% pay in the first year, 85% in the second year and additional (third) year of unpaid leave. Either mother or father can take the leave, or they can swap in shifts. Additionally father is provided one month of paternal leaver immediately after child’s birth.
What's the catch? The rest of the world pays (on average) 10% more in income taxes than Americans do. ("Yikes, higher taxes?" you say?) Well, do the math. A big chunk of that extra 10% pays for health care and maternity leave. What is your family currently paying in child care and health care? The average American family pays $11,666 ($972 monthly) for child care and $4316 annually for employee-sponsored health care ($15,745 out-of-pocket). So for a family who earns $50,000 annually, what you pay in child care and health care alone this is more than 20% of your income. For a family who earns $100,000, this exceeds 12% of your income. At the end of the day, the average American shovels out more money by paying for everything 'a la carte' than the average European does by paying higher taxes.
Incorrect The United States is the only country in the world who does not have a maternity leave program. Even Iraq, Mexico and Ethiopia have maternity leave programs.
The typical maternity leave for mothers in America: Mother works at her job until she goes into labor. By law, mother can take a 12 week unpaid maternity leave – but only if mother worked for employer the 12 previous months before her baby’s birth. If mother returns to work full time after her 12 week maternity leave, typically her infant is kept in a day care center 8-12 hours per day, 5 days per week. Feeling the financial pressure of having no income, many mothers go back to work after only 6 weeks. Most day care centers will accept infants as young as 6 weeks old.
Here’s how maternity leave works in Germany: Mother gets last trimester of pregnancy paid time off of work. Once the baby is born, mother receives 67% of her net income for an entire year (for a maximum of $2,500 per month). In addition to this, the government pays all mothers kindergelt (child money) to help support all families financially. Each family, regardless of income, receives the equivalent of $200 per month, per child, until the children are 18 years old.
The most generous maternal/paternal leave system is in Lithuania, where mothers are provided 8 weeks of 100% paid leave before the due date, 100% pay in the first year, 85% in the second year and additional (third) year of unpaid leave. Either mother or father can take the leave, or they can swap in shifts. Additionally father is provided one month of paternal leaver immediately after child’s birth.
What's the catch? The rest of the world pays (on average) 10% more in income taxes than Americans do. ("Yikes, higher taxes?" you say?) Well, do the math. A big chunk of that extra 10% pays for health care and maternity leave. What is your family currently paying in child care and health care? The average American family pays $11,666 ($972 monthly) for child care and $4316 annually for employee-sponsored health care ($15,745 out-of-pocket). So for a family who earns $50,000 annually, what you pay in child care and health care alone this is more than 20% of your income. For a family who earns $100,000, this is about 12% of your income. At the end of the day, the average American shovels out more money by paying for everything 'a la carte' than the average European does by paying higher taxes.
Correct! Parenting is, by far, the most important job in the world.
Incorrect. Parenting is, by far, the most important job in the world.
Congratulations, you got it right! Sadly, The United States is the wealthiest country in the world, but we do the worst job providing basic essentials for our children. In almost all categories America was rated on by UNICEF, we came in dead last: We give our children the least amount of quality time, we spend the fewest amount of time with them at the dinner table, we buy the least amount of books for our children, and we have the worst schools (just to name a few).
Nope, this is incorrect. Sadly, The United States is the wealthiest country in the world, but we do the worst job providing basic essentials for our children. In almost all categories America was rated on by UNICEF, we came in dead last: We give our children the least amount of quality time, we spend the fewest amount of time with them at the dinner table, we buy the least amount of books for our children, and we have the worst schools (just to name a few).
Correct! As documented in the best-seller "7 Habits of Highly Effective Families" by Stephen R. Covey, the average American child spends more than 20 hours watching television each week, and only MINUTES with one-on-one engagement with his/her father!
Incorrect. As documented in the best-seller "7 Habits of Highly Effective Families" by Stephen R. Covey, the average American child spends more than 20 hours watching television each week, and only MINUTES with one-on-one engagement with his/her father!