Strollerderby : sweden

Parents Fight to Name Baby Q

Hannah Tennant-Moore — Mon, 25 May 2009 21:14:00 GMT

Swedish parents are fighting the government for the right to name their baby one letter. The government claims that their child, who has been called simply Q since birth, has an illegal name since Swedish law prohibits names that consist of only one letter.

But the couple has argued before court that their son answers to the name Q, and besides, they say, “There are stranger names in the valley."

Q is an elegant letter with more a well-rounded sound than, say, a vowel, but it’s still not a name I would wish to see bestowed on any children dear to me. That said, should this really be a crime? Is it truly child endangerment to name your baby an unusual name?

If so, celebrities from Gwyneth Paltrow (mother of Apple) to David Duchovny (father of Kyd) are no less guilty than the parents of Q.

To appease authorities, the couple has suggested changing the spelling of their baby’s name to Q:u. I say that if Sweden’s naming laws make it necessary to put a form of punctuation into the middle of a name, perhaps those laws are not exactly serving the interests of the children.

Image: Parent Dish

Dad Finds Kidnapped Kids in a Week, Cops Tried for Six Months

JeanneSager — Sat, 11 Apr 2009 20:50:00 GMT

I've got a hearty respect for the boys (and women) in blue. With two state troopers in my family, you don't hear me saying a whole lot against the cops.

But to the police who spent six months searching for two boys kidnapped by their mother . . . only to be shown up by dad, who found them in a week, I've got to ask: what were you doing all this time?

The boys, ten and eleven, went missing from their Australia home when their mom, a Swedish citizen, grabbed them and ran in October. Suspected to have returned to her native Sweden, the mom became wanted there, and police started searching for the boys.

But after six months of waiting in Australia for word, Dad decided he'd had enough. He hopped a plane from Melbourne, rented a car and parked it outside the home of the boy's grandparents - the parents of their mother. He says now he had a hunch they were harboring the fugitive mother. Let's hear it for dads' intuition!

He was right. After a week of staking out the place, he snuck up to the door late one night only to hear the voices of his sons inside. He called the cops, who raided the house and came up with the fugitive mother and the missing boys. Mom is now in custody, and the boys are back with dad.

It's got a happy ending, but isn't this kind of obvious? When someone goes missing, don't you check with their parents first? I don' tknow about you, but I'd like to think my kid would come to me first if she were in trouble!

Image: TheSimpsons

Kid's Balloon Travels Nine Hundred Miles

JeanneSager — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 18:58:00 GMT

When a Swedish couple hiking in the woods near Lapland found a balloon, they could hae just snagged it as trash and chucked it away. Instead, they read the message attached and decided to post a letter to the children's center in Britian from whence it came.

The children's center just happens to be more than one thousand five hundred kilometers (about nine hundred thirty miles) away. And since children released one hundred balloons in November 2007, this is the first letter sent back to let the kids know how their little floating friends fared.

The balloons were released in honor of opening day at the Old Clee Children's Centre in Grimsby, Lincolnshire on Nov. 17, 2007. It wasn't until Oct. 26 of this year that the Swedish couple were out in the mountains and found it. They sent a letter back to Old Clee with a little story about the sunny day when they discovered the balloon and included pictures of its whereabouts. In exchange, a Swedish-speaking employee of Old Clee has drafted a letter back, including pictures of Grimsby.

It's a sweet little story, but I always wonder what happens to the rest of the balloons in these circumstances. Do they snag on trees and litter the landscape? Or do people pick them up, notice the notes and trash them anyway? Neither one is really palatable if you think about it. I'd hate to think that the environment suffers, but disappointed kids don't make me any happier. What would you do? Do you think most people would send a letter back?

Image/Source: The Local

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My name is Budweiser Bjorklund, what's yours?

Brett Singer — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 20:00:00 GMT

Proving that celebrities don't have a lock on the practice of giving children names that will ensure a lifetime of ridicule, Swedish tax authorities are now allowing parents to name their kids, "after fast food chains, rock bands or their favorite brand of beer."

This had been illegal in Sweden, but Lars Tegenfeldt, clearly a genius, said, "there is nothing negative about a name like Coca-Cola or McDonald's today. In the 1970s, maybe it was."

Now, a law against naming children something idiotic seems extreme. On the other hand, what's the thought process involved in saying that there's "nothing negative about a name…like McDonald's"? Is that because they sell salads now, and offer apple slices with Happy Meals? One also wonders what prompted this ruling: a surge of parents demanding to name their children "Dr. Pepper"?

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Image: soindierock.blogspot.com
Source: MSNBC

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Baptism by Hockey

Amy Kuras — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 21:29:00 GMT

One of the cooler things about hockey is this: Each player on the team which wins the sport's championship trophy, the Stanley Cup, gets to take it home for a day.
And yes, there is a parenting angle here. "Stanley sightings" are a big deal around here in years the Detroit Red Wings won the Stanley Cup, including this year (and 1997, 1998, and 2002 in recent years). My friend and her husband had a little anniversary no-kids getaway earlier this summer and witnessed players Kris Draper and Darren McCarty with their kids, spouses, and the Cup, including a baby posing in it.
Turns out that may have been Draper's little newborn daughter Kamryn, who, oh dear, pooped in it. (It's been cleaned).NHL officials have since instituted a "no babies in diapers" rule in for the Cup, according to this Vancouver Sun article. Two guards from the Hockey Hall of Fame travel with the Cup wherever it goes, to avoid too much damage or someone hocking it for bail money or whatever.
Right now, the Cup is in Sweden, where seven members of the team are from. And it served as a baptismal font for team captain Tomas Holmstrom's cousin's 6-week-old daughter. And even odder, this is the second time that’s happened with the 115-year-old trophy.
It's also been dropped several times, dented once, used as a feed bag for a racehorse, gone to a strip club repeatedly (including at least once being incorporated into the act, which makes my head hurt to even think about) and lost once.
Makes baby pooping not seem so bad

Drive-by weddings

Brett Singer — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 19:00:00 GMT

36 couples in Sweden are hoping to get married in their cars during a "gathering of auto enthusiasts". Despite the presence of neon signs and the music of Elvis, this is actually a sanctioned religious service – the Church of Sweden is organizing the event. In fact, the Elvis songs will be sung by a priest.

It may sound like a big goof, but the stated reason is actually an interesting one. Swedish priest Jerker Asterlund, who is organizing the motorcade nuptials, told Reuters, "Weddings are getting more and more commercialized and that is not something we have any interest in. We would like to make things simpler and more down to earth when people take the plunge and get married. This is not just for fun, but also a way for the Church of Sweden to show we can take part in celebration and happiness and not just in crisis and catastrophes."

Can you imagine if a church in the U.S. did something like this? Massive outcry, methinks. (If anyone knows of a comparable event in the Yoo-Ess-Ay, let me know.)

While I agree that weddings have gotten overblown to the point of silliness, I have to admit that I enjoyed my own wedding, which wasn't THAT extravagant, but was far from subdued. We've talked about the idea of too-big wedding ceremonies before; there was this item recently about bridesmaids refusing to pony up for an expensive dress they'll only wear once.

Do you think weddings have become too big? And how does getting hitched in a Volvo sound?

image: backtothefifties.co.uk
(note: the site the image comes from does not appear to offer weddings in cars)

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Hi, my name's Lego. What's yours?

Brett Singer — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 13:00:00 GMT

Apparently Americans don't have a monopoly on weird names for their children. A Swedish couple actually went to court in order to name their son after the little toy bricks. According to Wired.com: "In Sweden, parents are prohibited from giving their offspring legal names that are deemed offensive, unsuitable or inappropriate. This policy also bans couples from picking names that might one day embarrass their young."

No way could a name like Lego open a kid up for teasing, playground beatings, being pelted with small, interlocking plastic bricks…

People should have the right to name their children whatever they want. They should also be sane enough not to give them names that are this stupid.

He did better than his fellow Swede, who is saddled with the name "Brfxxccxxmnpcccclllmmnprxvclmnckssqlbb11116." But it's pronounced Albin. Oh! I get it. The "6" is silent.

image: LegoIsFun

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Preventing "Elvis Pilot Inspektor": When Bad Names Happen to Good Babies

Amy Kuras — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 21:02:00 GMT

The sensible Swedes strike again! We've written before about the fact that every baby's name has to be registered with Swedish tax authorities, and it can shoot down a baby's name if it's just too silly.

Their latest victim? Parents who want to name their five-month-old baby girl Elvis. As in hunka hunka burnin' love Elvis.

The parents reportedly considered it a name that's "both pretty and gender-neutral" and are not Elvis fans at all. I've gotta wonder if maybe just messing with the Skatterverket (the Tax Authority's name) has become a sport for bored or daring Swedish parents. After all, a couple successfully appealed the tribunal's rejection of the name Mettalica for their daughter, and a change in the law was suggested to help a couple who wanted to name their child Superman.

Honestly, I wish we had such a thing here. And I volunteer to be in charge of it. My kids have traditional old person names that fit them well, and that pass the all-important Supreme Court Justice test. I hate, HATE, trendy names (stop with the Caden, Braden, etc., people), "creative" spellings (Xavier does NOT start with a Z!) and just plain goofiness (Pilot Inspektor? Really?).

Your kid's name is not your chance to make a little joke, express your creativity or reaffirm your trendiness. It's how they identify to the world, and a prime opportunity to learn the Not About You lesson of parenthood.

Book of the Week: Dudley the Daydreamer

editors — Fri, 30 May 2008 14:43:00 GMT

It’s odd when a children’s book is adult-relatable. Kid lit usually takes you to another world, frequently animal, with the express goal of teaching your little ones valuable life lessons. But Dudley the Daydreamer by Anders Brundin, illustrated by Joanna Rubin Dranger and translated by Frank Perry is a little more sophisticated than your favorite mouse. When we join Dudley in his ordinary world we get a load of adult drudgery: getting rained on at the bus stop, burning sausages, writing supplementary draft reports.

This Walter Mitty of Swedish children’s literature escapes his ho-hum job as assistant supervisor in the Civil Service by daydreaming of feeding ice cream to antelopes and landing on the moon. Even Dudley’s home life requires escapism. Rather than absorbing the nightly news, Dudley tunes out:

All they talked about on the news last night was war. War and more war. Someone’s got to save the world. “Find inner peace – stop making war!” says the head of the peace movement, Dalai Dudley.

While living in this alternate universe does not initially bode well for Dudley – he gets fired and can no longer daydream because he’s so incredibly hungry - eventually Dudley finds fulfillment in his “dream” job.

Other than the trite, “Hold on to your dreams,” the life lesson of Dudley the Daydreamer is this - when mom is shopping in the children’s book aisle, sometimes quirky illustrations and adult issues win out over sweet teddy bear families. – April Peveteaux

Dudley the Daydreamer (WingedChariot Press, 2008) can be found at Amazon for $11.01.

Book of the Week appears every other Friday. Sometimes every Friday. We’re fickle like that.

Why Can't We Be More Like Sweden?

Karen Murphy — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 19:32:00 GMT

They say, somewhat irreverently but at the same time with more than a grain of truth, that your first child is your "practice kid." Firstborns get a lot of attention and they also get the learning curve. Once you're in the territory of two or three, some things seem relatvely easy and don't elicit that huge feeling of panic that occurs with baby #1. Hellllp!

Which is where Sweden comes in. It's already known as a parent-friendly and child-friendly country, giving support to new parents and providing child-friendly public spaces. But guess what else Sweden does that we could really really use elsewhere as well?

Parenting classes.

Though I used to think parenting classes were just for losers who lacked common sense, what Sweden is starting makes perfect sense. How many of us know the best thing to do in every situation with our kids? Sure, we read books, we talk to other parents, we read useful, humorous, and scintillating online content , but I could have used a class or two to help address my insatiable urge, for example, to manage every conflict between siblings, or just simply to make issues relating to divorce and single parenthood easier and better for everyone.

In other words, I think we all could use some support in parenting.

Of course, the classes could totally suck. That would be a problem. But 99% of Swedish parents taking these new parenting classes for older kids (they already have parenting classes for parents of newborns) would recommend them to someone else. So I'll take those, please.

Besides, Swedish parents, for the most part, rock. Hey, they don't spank! And they have great-looking baby gear (definitely a prime consideration for judging a parent is by the coolness of their baby gear).

Still, I'll take the classes. If only the commute wasn't such a bitch.

Photo: farm.tucows.com

Let's Go Sweden!

aprilpeveteaux — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 17:24:00 GMT

You can blame Gwynne when after you read her exposé on the Swedish Embassy you find yourself booking one-way tickets to the middle finger of Scandinavia, family in tow. In addition to a Baby Björn fashion show, Gwynne was treated to a traditional Ikea Swedish meal and tour of the Washington DC home of the Swedes - and was quite taken with their focus on the family, among other things. Hmmm, I’m having a hard time picturing our own US Embassy inviting Swedish journalists to check out our Mattel toys while dining on ham steak. But hey, this is the Nordic country that gives everyone like a year paid maternity and paternity leave, it’s no wonder they invented the most popular baby holder around. They had actual time to spend with their little one in those early carrying days. Pass the lingonberries.

The Swedes Are Brilliant!

MetroDad — Sat, 26 May 2007 20:37:00 GMT

If you stop and think about it for a minute, it's absolutely incredible how much Sweden has contributed to modern civilization. Meatballs, Ikea, Abba, H&M, Dolph Lundgren...the list just goes on and on!

Well, add to that glorious list The Nosefrida, a suction straw that parents use with their own mouths to suck the snot out of their children’s noses!

I know what you're thinking. You're thinking, "That sounds great, MD! But how do you keep from getting a mouthful of your kid's boogers?" Well, therein lies the pure genius of The Nosefrida. It comes equipped with a special filter which is also allegedly effective at blocking germs as well.

I don't know. Still sounds a little gross to me. Whatever happened to Kleenex? And doesn't the kid in the promo ad look old enough to blow her own nose?

[via Boing Boing]

Swedish Couple Fights Government to Name Baby "Metallica"

Stefania Pomponi Butler (CityMama) — Wed, 04 Apr 2007 11:01:00 GMT

It seems we can't get enough of RAWK on Strollerderby, and this story is no exception: A Swedish couple is battling their government for the right to name their daughter after a legendary rock band.

Who knew that in Sweden your kid's name needs to be "cleared" by the tax board before a social security-like national ID number can be issued? (Not me.) I suppose this is so people don't name their kids effed-up names like Pilot Inspektor, Moxie Crimefighter, or Wallie.

Sweden's tax agency ixnayed Michael and Karolina Tomaro's application to name their 6-month-old daughter after their favorite band. Mom says the name "suits her," and that her daughter is "decisive and she knows what she wants."

Although little Metallica has already been baptized, the Swedish National Tax Board refused to register the name, saying it was associated with both the rock group and the word "metal." (NO! Not the word "metal!")

Bets? Who thinks they're going to have to change her name to Alanis Morissette?