Beat me to the post on this one - I was going to cite it as an example of how Scandinavian thinking about child raising may not be ‘better’ - just different.
Not ever? How are the people to know whether their child protective services are, or are not, mad zealots?
In the US generally, the only ways are if another government agency conducts an audit/investigation and publishes a report (usually without identifying information except in the case of fatalities) or if there is a court proceeding of some sort , whether it be a criminal case against the parent or a lawsuit against CPS. I suspect many (maybe most) other countries have similar rules regarding confidentiality.
I’m not even sure it was Scandinavian thinking, rather than her own. I remember at the time a lot of Scandinavians said that yes, babies should sleep in the cold,fresh air , but on a balcony, front porch, courtyard etc .Not on a busy NYC street while the mother went into a restaurant to have a drink because it was chilly outside.
As far as I know, it is not considered abnormal in any part of Scandinavia including the capitals.
A lot of people would consider being too afraid for your babys safety to leave it in the buggy to be over the top. I don’t know if it is a realty-based fear or not.
Oh yeah in the year since this thread was posted I started going out with my son alone and have had a bunch of experiences in bizarre cultural baby memes. I’m from the USA now in Trinidad and my son is two and a half, a list:
Being scolded forever about shoulder riding.
There is apparently a poisonous substance called dew that rains from the sky with every drizzle or rain and every dusk. Now no I’m not walking in the pouring rain with him but yes I will walk around in drizzle, the temp hitting 70F is considered a freak cold snap! It rains everyday sometimes several times a day for half the year.
The floor is considered “unclean” or something, my son loves the wet noodle maneuver and my instinct is to ignore it if possible(in a food court etc a place safe to) but it will attract a crowd, people will pick him up! WTF? Wetwipes are proffered, it becomes a scene. I’m really sick of it, all people see when I am ignoring the wet noodle thing is a neglectful asshole letting his child wallow in a sewage canal or something.
Really funny the small stuff I never realized before experiencing it.
Any floor that people walk on with shoes that are worn outside is filthy. I wince when I see babies rolling around on floors in public places. It’s disgusting. Who the hell knows what they’re getting all over them.
Speaking of shoes… Taking shoes off etiquette - In My Humble Opinion - Straight Dope Message Board
(D&R)
That considers what said “abuse” is. Just because something’s not illegal doesn’t mean it’s not abuse.
In India kids are some times caned gently by parents. No one consider it abuse, in Indian context. ( I am not talking of excessive punishment).
It is considered abuse in western countries.
Caning? Seriously? Cultural relativism be damned – I definitely think of that as “excessive”.
Not those canes. ( they are bound to break a person’s bones)
This will be a small stick taken from a plant. It has been used for many years in Indian culture to discipline kids.
Caning is now banned in schools also ( due to excesses by teachers), by a court order.
It’s generally called a “switching” here, then. Nope, it’s still considered abuse. It’s been a tradition here for years in the past. (“Go cut a switch off of the tree!”)
Sorry, I think it’s wrong. I don’t care how long it’s been used, or if it’s part of someone’s culture.
WTF? If that doesn’t work, are the children then mildly stabbed or softly shot?
I am yet to hear kids getting stabbed or shot by parents as part of disciplining.
Until tonight, I had never heard the term “caned gently”.
Switching (or whatever), not caning.
Canes are reserved for crowd control and law enforcement purposes.
There is no such thing as a “gentle” caning. It is abuse, and many Indians will agree.
It was a common practice in British schools too until a couple of generations ago. Very unpleasant, likely abusive, but not quite the life-threatening attack you seem to think.
Taking away kids be damned.
Norway should be in the gun sights for refusing to sell take away beer at supermarkets on Sunday. And only allowing low strength beer sales after 8 pm other nights (Take away).
Let’s cut to the chase.