Norway's child protective service and Indian immigrants

[Anonymous]

Norway is well known to place the state above parents, contrary to the glowing report given by a PP.

As a homeschooling mother with an Indian husband, I have been following this case closely:

http://friendsofdomenic.blogspot.com/

Their son was taken from them when they were on a plane, emigrating from Norway to India. Their offense? Briefly homeschooling their son to ease his transition to a new home.

One reason why we should never take our liberty for granted. While I may have a hard time with my in-laws' practices of sleeping with my kids and hand-feeding them, I am grateful we (currently) live in a country where the state cannot call such practices abusive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes, true.

If you did 2 nights of CIO in my coutry they'd take your kids away no questions asked if the neighbor reported you. And all your fellow American moms would be here defending you.

It's a matter of perception. You guys think you're the best in the world and you believe you hold the absolute truth in your hands and this is disgusting. There's a huge range of normal and healthy. This poor woman was sick and they took her children away. They're taking advantage of her citizenship status on top of everything. This wrong in so many levels!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here: yes, that was what I read in a news report. It's important to read as much of the news as possible. Clearly, on some level, the parents were in over the head and/or Norwegian child protective authorities saw things they didn't like and made some very dangerous assumptions. The approach is incredibly punitive, and quite frightening, but this is not a first for Norway's child protective service. Read some of the materials by Marianne Haslev Skånland, a Norwegian scholar who is affiliated with the Nordic Committee for Human Rights and who has been tracking this issue for many years. There are reports of similar forced separation out of Sweden and the UK as well. There appears to be a blurry line between a mission to protect the children's interests and perpetuating cultural ignorance. There were many ways the child protection workers could have dealt with this, but they chose a particularly horrifying route that preyed on the vulnerabilities of an immigrant family with limited ability to appeal the court decision.

OP you are utterly correct. If this happened to an American family with the same exact facts these PPs would be up in arms. Instead they are displaying their xenophobia. It's disgusting.

Not true. I would say the same if it were an American family. Don't move to another country and expect it to be like home. It isn't. You are all extremely naive, IMHO.

Um, what country is that? North Korea?

"My neighbor's baby has been crying for an hour! Take him away!"

I don't even know which country you are talking about, but it is either a totalitarian regime that looks for any excuse to break families apart (child soldiers, maybe?) or you are off your rocker.

[Anonymous]

For those of you who think the state did the right thing for doing this to non-citizen children - what do you think will happen to the children if the state insists on separating them from their parents? The parents are non-citizens. Their visas will run out eventually. They'll have to leave the country. Leaving behind their children who, as it is, have no legal status in Norway! So these two kids should stay in some legal limbo for 18 years? with no rights, no entitlements, and no relatives around?

Frankly, I think staying with the mom who slaps you from time to time is preferable to this sort of forcible extraction.

Assuming there is not more to the story.

[Anonymous]

OHHHH come on! Tons of people co-sleep! I do! No one thinks it's weird. I don't think Norwegians think it's weird either. I am sure there was something else going on here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Norway is well known to place the state above parents, contrary to the glowing report given by a PP.

As a homeschooling mother with an Indian husband, I have been following this case closely:

http://friendsofdomenic.blogspot.com/

Their son was taken from them when they were on a plane, emigrating from Norway to India. Their offense? Briefly homeschooling their son to ease his transition to a new home.

One reason why we should never take our liberty for granted. While I may have a hard time with my in-laws' practices of sleeping with my kids and hand-feeding them, I am grateful we (currently) live in a country where the state cannot call such practices abusive.

Are you saying NORWAY is a country that consistently overreaches their bounds? NORWAY??? A place where we all could only hope and dream of living with the highest quality of life in the world!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Norway is well known to place the state above parents, contrary to the glowing report given by a PP.

As a homeschooling mother with an Indian husband, I have been following this case closely:

http://friendsofdomenic.blogspot.com/

Their son was taken from them when they were on a plane, emigrating from Norway to India. Their offense? Briefly homeschooling their son to ease his transition to a new home.

One reason why we should never take our liberty for granted. While I may have a hard time with my in-laws' practices of sleeping with my kids and hand-feeding them, I am grateful we (currently) live in a country where the state cannot call such practices abusive.

Are you saying NORWAY is a country that consistently overreaches their bounds? NORWAY??? A place where we all could only hope and dream of living with the highest quality of life in the world!!

Brain blip on my part--pregnant and a stomach virus going through my kids--clearly, the linked story is from Sweden, not Norway. My apologies.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Norway is well known to place the state above parents, contrary to the glowing report given by a PP.

As a homeschooling mother with an Indian husband, I have been following this case closely:

http://friendsofdomenic.blogspot.com/

Their son was taken from them when they were on a plane, emigrating from Norway to India. Their offense? Briefly homeschooling their son to ease his transition to a new home.

One reason why we should never take our liberty for granted. While I may have a hard time with my in-laws' practices of sleeping with my kids and hand-feeding them, I am grateful we (currently) live in a country where the state cannot call such practices abusive.

Are you saying NORWAY is a country that consistently overreaches their bounds? NORWAY??? A place where we all could only hope and dream of living with the highest quality of life in the world!!

Brain blip on my part--pregnant and a stomach virus going through my kids--clearly, the linked story is from Sweden, not Norway. My apologies.

Most European countries have mandatory schooling--you are violating the law by homeschooling. So yes, it is an offense. You may not like it, but that is the law. Sweden at least allows it in some cases, with mandated visits by authorities. Most Northern European countries don't--frankly, I don't think it should be legal.

But that's beside the point.

Don't go to another country as either an ex-pat or an immigrant without knowing their laws--and don't violate the, knowingly or otherwise. You may not agree with the outcome or the law, but the Norwegians didn't act out of xenophobia (a ludicrous assumption from people not familar with modern Scandinavia).

Try reading the Norwegian, Danish, Swedish, or German press--quite a different story than the Indian one is telling.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Norway is well known to place the state above parents, contrary to the glowing report given by a PP.

As a homeschooling mother with an Indian husband, I have been following this case closely:

http://friendsofdomenic.blogspot.com/

Their son was taken from them when they were on a plane, emigrating from Norway to India. Their offense? Briefly homeschooling their son to ease his transition to a new home.

One reason why we should never take our liberty for granted. While I may have a hard time with my in-laws' practices of sleeping with my kids and hand-feeding them, I am grateful we (currently) live in a country where the state cannot call such practices abusive.

Are you saying NORWAY is a country that consistently overreaches their bounds? NORWAY??? A place where we all could only hope and dream of living with the highest quality of life in the world!!

You think the standard of living in Norway makes it a utopia??? That the government is NOT intrusive? That is hilarious and sad. So many people here think Western Europe is so forward, so wonderfully progressive and yet citizens there are not nearly as free as they are here. The restrictions on liberties such as free speech in many of these places would blow. your. mind. I think all of the people here who mock staunch patriots, tea party-ers, etc. should move to somewhere like Denmark, where the government gives you a list of names to choose from when naming your kid. It's not all extended maternity leave and streets so safe you can leave your baby outside in a stroller.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For all you people who think Norwegian child protective services has a point saving Norway's superior effing child rearing norms, yeah you know jack! They could have sent the parents and the kids back to where they came from, but no they chose instead to keep the children. The Norwegian CPS has not reported the following charges: co sleeping, hand feeding, and emotional disconnect of the mother (probably post-partum depression), nothing else. All of which suggest she needed help rather than a ruling that allows the parents to see the children a few times a YEAR.

You go live in a welfare state run amok. reminds me of Lisbeth Salander character. no wonder the book struck such a chord. Frankly, f--k Norway. It is now my shit-list.

Quite the braniac, aren't you? Quoting a character from the only Scandinavian novel you know? (Swedish, by the way). Really lends you some credibilty. I bet you might even be able to find Norway on a map. Now please do entertain us all by explaining exactly how that character is even remotely relevant? Can you name some Indian authors to maintain a balance?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Norway is well known to place the state above parents, contrary to the glowing report given by a PP.

As a homeschooling mother with an Indian husband, I have been following this case closely:

http://friendsofdomenic.blogspot.com/

Their son was taken from them when they were on a plane, emigrating from Norway to India. Their offense? Briefly homeschooling their son to ease his transition to a new home.

One reason why we should never take our liberty for granted. While I may have a hard time with my in-laws' practices of sleeping with my kids and hand-feeding them, I am grateful we (currently) live in a country where the state cannot call such practices abusive.

Are you saying NORWAY is a country that consistently overreaches their bounds? NORWAY??? A place where we all could only hope and dream of living with the highest quality of life in the world!!

You think the standard of living in Norway makes it a utopia??? That the government is NOT intrusive? That is hilarious and sad. So many people here think Western Europe is so forward, so wonderfully progressive and yet citizens there are not nearly as free as they are here. The restrictions on liberties such as free speech in many of these places would blow. your. mind. I think all of the people here who mock staunch patriots, tea party-ers, etc. should move to somewhere like Denmark, where the government gives you a list of names to choose from when naming your kid. It's not all extended maternity leave and streets so safe you can leave your baby outside in a stroller.

That's not exactly correct. Try getting your facts into the appropriate century/decade. Or even naming a baby in one of these countries, then get back to me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What does "hand fed" mean?

Are you serious????



Some cultures eat with their hands, you know?

Ummmm, yes.

I'm not the PP but I'm wondering what "hand fed" means in this context? Are they feeding the baby table food or something? I find it hard to believe that Norweigians think that eating without utensils is so abusive that they would take someone's children away for doing so.

[Anonymous]

I don't understand how legally Norway could seize the children for the next 18 years if the children were not Norwegian citizens. They could arrest the parents and sentence them to jail. They could deport the family. Since the children are not Norwegian citizens, how does Norway have any standing to retain them in the country until they are 18 years old? The children's VISAs are connected to the parents. When the parents VISA runs out if they do not renew the child's VISA would not be renewed either. The country hosting the vistors doesn't get to decide to just keep the kids.

[Anonymous]

I posted before about an American who went to Finland? for a work assignment and while there got a local woman who was his GF pregnant. They did not allow him to leave the country when his assignment ended. I think they took his passport. He stayed on and is happy with his family.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes, true.

If you did 2 nights of CIO in my coutry they'd take your kids away no questions asked if the neighbor reported you. And all your fellow American moms would be here defending you.

What country are you talking about? Are you talking about India? Are you kidding me? I'm Indian, and that's not how it works.

Your neighbor would call the police. You would bribe the police. The police would happily accept said bribe, and not bother you anymore.

Get real. India is the country where you're not even allowed to find out the gender of your baby, because they are afraid you will abort it if it's a female! It's a country where there is still a caste system. Please. And, some of my Indian relatives are the MOST xenophobic people in the world. Maybe Indians can express some of their outrage at what goes on in their own home country.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Norway is well known to place the state above parents, contrary to the glowing report given by a PP.

As a homeschooling mother with an Indian husband, I have been following this case closely:

http://friendsofdomenic.blogspot.com/

Their son was taken from them when they were on a plane, emigrating from Norway to India. Their offense? Briefly homeschooling their son to ease his transition to a new home.

One reason why we should never take our liberty for granted. While I may have a hard time with my in-laws' practices of sleeping with my kids and hand-feeding them, I am grateful we (currently) live in a country where the state cannot call such practices abusive.

Are you saying NORWAY is a country that consistently overreaches their bounds? NORWAY??? A place where we all could only hope and dream of living with the highest quality of life in the world!!

You think the standard of living in Norway makes it a utopia??? That the government is NOT intrusive? That is hilarious and sad. So many people here think Western Europe is so forward, so wonderfully progressive and yet citizens there are not nearly as free as they are here. The restrictions on liberties such as free speech in many of these places would blow. your. mind. I think all of the people here who mock staunch patriots, tea party-ers, etc. should move to somewhere like Denmark, where the government gives you a list of names to choose from when naming your kid. It's not all extended maternity leave and streets so safe you can leave your baby outside in a stroller.

That's not exactly correct. Try getting your facts into the appropriate century/decade. Or even naming a baby in one of these countries, then get back to me.

Just getting back to you:

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/10/08/world/europe/08iht-danes.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freedom_of_speech_by_country#Europe