Moscow Kremlin (Photo by John Leach) Come Friday, most working folks are trying to think of a good excuse to skip work. But consider the "workers' paradise" of Russia, where workers who love the Motherland are getting the day off for Give Birth to a Patriot Day. More specifically, they're getting a holiday to stay home and conceive a child in hopes that the baby will be born on Russia Day, June 12. This holiday may not have made last year's list of "237 reasons people have sex," put out by the University of Texas, but plenty of Russian couples will be participating in hopes of getting a nice push prize in the form of money, cars, or home appliances. Government incentives for having children are not a new phenomenon. In countries with declining populations, programs encourage the expansion of families. Germany has offered family benefits, and Australia's baby bonuses have led to its highest birth rate in 25 years. Manipulation of fertility is also an ancient practice, with people aiming for auspicious days, months, or seasons. Now in its fourth year, Give Birth to a Patriot Day is taken seriously in the Ulyanovsk Region. The governor is even declaring the fete a Day of Soberness, discouraging citizens from drinking alcohol. Apparently Governor Morozov has not seen the movie "Knocked Up," or he would understand that a night at a bar can lead directly to the results his country is seeking. "Budem zdorovy, tovarich!" Suggested Sites... Incentivized Birth - Slate Magazine's critical view of Russia's baby-boosting policies. A Holiday From Russia With Love - a positive spin on Give Birth to a Patriot Day from the New York Times. Russia Day Evolves - overview of the coveted birth day from the School of Russian and Asian Studies.

Directory categories: Russia, Population, Pregnancy and Birth, Pregnancy Calendars

Archived under: Babies, Holidays, Parenting, Population, Pregnancy, Russia, Sex and Sexuality

Post a comment (0) | Email this posting