In This Japanese Town, Parents Pay To Get Lessons On Raising Children

It has become a challenge to raise children with the rise in inflation and surge in the cost of living. Due to these factors, people are finding it difficult to embrace parenthood and raise children. As per the Wall Street Journal report, in the Japanese town of Nagi, parents are being taught how to raise children for a stipulated fee. Nagi is a town with less than 6,000 people. As per reports, they are charged $420 (Rs 34,940) for one child and $210 (Rs 17,470) for two children. If the parents have more children than this, they will be charged no fee for the training. If someone enrolls their children in the daycare facilities here, then their wards are awarded a yearly scholarship (Rs 80,000-1.5,00,000). There is free accommodation and medical facilities for the children as well. This step has been reportedly undertaken to foster an increase in the birth rate. Nagi has been appreciated for this step. Many parents arrive here to get help in parenting.

Due to steps like these, the fertility rate in Nagi is increasing in sharp contrast to the declining birth rate in Japan. A committee has been formed in Nagi which takes care of the children. This committee provides the children with the best facilities to take care of their mental and physical development. People hailing from all parts of Japan have immense faith in this committee and get their children admitted to the daycare facilities here.

Five years ago, the birthrate in Nagi was tremendously low, like the whole of Japan. Then, the government decided to initiate some measures that improved this situation to a great extent. They started giving cash prizes to the parents for embracing parenthood. If the couple has one child, they will get Rs 60,000. The prize money will increase to Rs 2.5,00,000 if the count of children increases to 5. These steps worked to a great extent and Nagi’s population has witnessed an upward trend since then.

According to The Guardian, parents leave their children at Nagi Child Home for an hour and pay Rs 172. During this time, children are left in the care of other mothers, staff, and older volunteers.