Have you ever regretted leaving your kid in an institution?
People call it "normal," but is it?
That something is normal means that most people are doing it - it doesn't make it right.
In Denmark, the maternity leave is nine months. After this period, it is considered normal to take your infant, who can't yet speak and who often can't even walk, and place your child in the arms of strangers for up to 8 hours or more per day. Because you know - it is normal - and you want to go back to work, or whatever excuse you make up for yourself to make it feel ok to leave a crying baby...
To me, this is madness. We even did it ourselves with our first three kids. Because we believed in the "normal," we believed what we and others said to each other:
"It is good for babies to be with other children. They only cry a little when you leave. They will be happy. It is good for me to go to work."
Lies.
And the worst lie we believed was the story that we had lulled ourselves into: You need a career. You need to have a house, fancy clothes, and a lot of gadgets. All things that made us need income from both parents.
If it feels wrong to abandon your child because you want to go to work. Then it is wrong.
With our 4th child, we choose freedom. We went with our feelings. We decided to change our lives to be there for our kids and together with our kids.
Today we travel full time - enjoying as much of our time together.
Time isn't returning. The present is all you have.
Choose to follow your heart.
Choose your children.
Choose love.May the sun shine on you
Jesper Conrad
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