You may have heard that there are close to eight billion human beings currently residing on planet earth. Seems like a lot, right? Despite those numbers, many governments are concerned about declining birth rates in their home nations. To encourage the frequency of giggity and childbirth, governments have come up with giveaways like tax breaks, bonuses, extra time off (both to make the baby and to care for it later), and boxes of baby care supplies. What else are governments doing to encourage the act of procreation? Let's take a look!
Japan hasn't stopped there, though. The Japanese government has launched an online dating site called "Fukui Marriage-Hunting Café" which is exactly what it sounds like. The Fukui prefecture has a lot of what we used to call DINK households (double income, no kids). The director of Fukui's "Children and Family's division" reports that the government will hand out gifts and money to newlywed couples. The director stated, "Our goal is first to help people meet each other and then support them as they get married and have children." Happy spouse hunting, Japan!
Time will tell which of these government initiatives will do the trick. If your government is willing to shell out fabulous cash and prizes for making babies, it's probably worth thinking about.
Wednesday Lee Friday is an eclectic writer of fact and fiction. She has worked as a reptile wrangler, phone sex operator, radio personality, concierge, editor, fast food manager, horror novelist, and she owns a soap shop. She prefers jobs that let her sleep during the day. Everybody knows all the best art and literature happen at night! Wednesday's work has appeared in Women's Health Interactive, Alternet, Screen Rant, The Roots of Loneliness Project and Authority Magazine. Wednesday Lee Friday was born November 24th, 1970 in Royal Oak, Michigan. It was a Tuesday. After deciding against being a ballerina, an ichthyologist, and a famous singer, she decided to become a novelist just before starting kindergarten. Wednesday went to college in Olivet, Michigan, where she majored in theater and broadcasting for some reason. Wednesday Lee Friday is a four-time published novelist, podcaster, horror fan, soap artisan, and former phonesex gal. Wednesday eats true crime for breakfast, knows enough Dothraki to buy a horse, and is a regular TV and movie reviewer for 411Mania.com. Look for her novels, anthologies, and audiobooks whereever you usually buy those things.