Raising Kids in Norway

After reading "Bringing Up Bebe" last year (see my review), I'm becoming fascinated by how moms in other countries raise their kids. The A Cup of Jo blog that I enjoy did a series last summer that asked a bunch of international mothers about their experiences and it's GREAT reading.

I was most interested in "Raising Your Kids in Norway" post because I'm roughly half Norwegian (though, you'd never know to look at me) and I was raised by a mostly-Norwegian mother.

The Kids and I in France

According to this woman's experience, one of the main tenants of Norwegian parenting is toughing it out. Families are self-contained units and don't ask for help outside the family. (Sound familiar, siblings?!) If you're in a public place and your kid freaks out, you're on your own. Interestingly, the post about raising kids in Northern Ireland is exactly opposite. It takes a village there.

Also, everyone works. Everyone. Women don't feel they're contributing if they don't work. Because of this, most kids attend day care and the cost is subsidized by the government. However, the normal work day ends at 3:45, so everyone gets to eat dinner together. Can you imagine?!

But what is the deal with hot dogs?! That part was just strange.

Anyway, I've always longed to raise my kiddos in another country, especially after I got a taste for it in Germany for two months. Maybe there's another European adventure in our fates. It's a new year, after all!

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Behold! Everard Blue!

Here's the After picture of our master bedroom now that the walls are a dark and moody blue. Maybe the best part is I was at work while the painters were here, so I walked in and found -- as if by magic -- the room no longer minty green but a bold blue. That's pretty awesome. They also painted the trim an eye-popping white, which I just love against this blue. And the angle is a dark beige-y, tan color that I hope goes with the headboard. I spent the evening cleaning and re-hanging the drapes, and moving the furniture back into position. It will be a while before I dare hang anything in here. I'm too in love with the walls to put too many holes in them right now. So, just in case I'm looking for this information later: The walls are "Everard Blue" by Benjamin Moore . And the tray is "Curly Willow" by Behr . Now, does that furniture look too dark against the walls or is it just me? And wouldn't a lighter wood or white look fabulous agains...

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France and the Third Baby

Odd fact of the day .... The French government pays for a mother’s tummy tuck after the birth of her third child (you do have to have at least 3 babies to qualify). Found on this blog about raising kids in Southern France. Yes, I'm day-dreaming again. Related posts: All the fancy quotes My love of France runs deep, people

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So Long, Hanukkah Part Two

And just as quickly it started (in New Jersey, on the night of Thanksgiving, no less), Hanukkah is over. Our eight nights were full of fun and squealing! And lighting many candles, of course. We missed one night because we were in a hotel room after spending the whole day driving home from New Jersey -- and I just didn't have the wherewithall to pull out the menorah. Speaking of menorah, we've replaced our old, wax-filled menorah with this lovely silver beauty given to us by David's mother. It belonged to her mother and sat in the dining room for years. Isn't it pretty?! And, the wax cleans off it much easier, so we're sure to hang on to this one for many Hanukkahs to come. I'm a sucker for traditions. Here's some photos of the last two nights: Leah Lighting the Candles - in an Eli Manning Jersey, No Less Alice Lighting in a Top She Calls her Genie Shirt David Constructing the Cardboard Pirate Ship The Last BIG Gift? A Pirate...

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