Before Mother's Day this year, the White House explored various policies To stimulate America low birth rateIncluding a baby bonus (that is to say the government's cash transfers at the time of the birth of a child).
This may seem a strong incentive to have more children, but even if many countries have tried this (Canada, Israel, Hungary, Germany, South Korea and Russia), the The evidence is quite mixed On the question of whether baby bonuses really increase birth rate.
For example, in Russia, the bonus was huge (equivalent to 18 months of average wages), and the expensive program resulted in a 20% increase in births. In Canada, a fairly important baby bonus was correlated with only a short -term increase in fertility, effectively encouraging parents to get closer to their children – not to have larger families. There was in fact no long -term effect on the birth rate.
In a German state, a monthly cash transfer to home was presented specifically for families who have not used the local public daycare center. Interestingly, this program has led to an increase in births for a few specific groups (single mothers, low -income families and foreign parents), and yet it had no average effect on the total population.
But other government policies that invest in mothers are more consistently encouraging births. There is solid evidence that paid parental holidays increase the birth rate. This would fulfill a shameful gaping hole in the United States, which currently has no national paid parental leave, leaving many mothers (and dads) to crawl at work, losing wages to take care of their infants or send newborns not vaccinated to childcare services.
Although The data show This paid parental leave increases the birth rate of a small quantity, it also improves maternal health, Prevents RSVIncreases the realization of children's education and reduces the probability of violence between intimate partners. All the other rich countries in the world have paid parental leave because they recognize the economic and health benefits of this investment.
An expansion of public childcare services would also increase the birth rate, relieving the financial burden that workers are confronted if they have a child. In fact, the United States is very careful of children on our military bases. The expansion of this service would provide quality and affordable care for all the children in our country.
Even if a baby bonus is not the best way to reach the administration’s goal, this is an excellent idea for the United States – because currently 1 out of 6 American children live below the poverty line. Their families have no stable dwellings, they are late on car payments, unable to allow themselves prescription drugs and desperately try to reach both ends. Children cannot prosper integrated into the Toxic stress of poverty. Even families with income well above the poverty line are overwhelmed by the costs of having children (birth of the hospital! Care for children! Mini-Pourgunnettes!). Like my spouse and I work both, we pay $ 2,100 per month for our youngest, and the daycare services end at 3 p.m.
If the nation really wants to invest in mothers and propel American children to prosper, a unique bonus is not enough. It would not solve the systemic negligence which is our status quo for childcare, maternity leave and poverty of children. The baby bonus could be a way to consolidate the bipartite commitment to invest in mothers, but a renewed expansion of the children's tax credit would be the simplest step (although the recently congress Renewal failure he). This tax credit supported by the Bipartisan allowed certain parents to stay at home with their children and also subsidize childcare services for those who work. He is radically Reduce the poverty rate of children.
Parental leave paid and public childcare services would increase the birth rate, but in small amounts. These policies are necessary because American parents (especially mothers) howling for help.
The choice to bring a child to this world is not just a child who can be encouraged with a few thousand dollars. Creating a new life is an act of hope, a commitment to the future and a reflection of deeply held personal beliefs. Celebrating Mother's Day with flowers or chocolate or a baby bonus is a nice gesture. But investing in mothers of pregnancy in childbirth and through the years of children's elevation is what will make a real difference.
Aine Seitz McCarthy is an associate professor of economics at Lewis & Clark College in Portland, Oregon, and mother of two children.
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Ideas expressed in the play
- The author maintains that a single baby bonus, as proposed by the White House, is insufficient to solve systemic problems such as childcare costs, the lack of paid parental leave and the poverty of children, citing international proofs mixed on its efficiency(1).
- Paid parental leave and enlarged public childcare services are underlined as more impactful policies, with proven advantages for maternal health, child development and modest increases in birth rate rates(1).
- The renewal of the children's tax credit supported by children is presented as a critical step to reduce the poverty of children and support for workers' families, although Congress has recently failed to extend it(1).
- The choice of having children is considered to be a deeply personal act of hope which cannot be reduced to financial incentives, requiring a lasting societal investment in mothers beyond symbolic gestures(1).
Different views on the subject
- Supporters of babies' bonuses argue that they give immediate financial relief to families, in particular low -income households, and could supplement larger political objectives despite long -term limited effects on birth rates(1).
- Some decision -makers may resist the expansion of public daycare or paid vacation due to concerns about costs, overcoming government or the hierarchy of short -term economic measures on systemic reforms(1).
- The opposition to the renewal of the children's tax credit includes arguments on budgetary responsibility and potential deterrents for the participation of the workforce, reflecting the partisan divisions on social spending(1).
