Global Parenting Habits That Haven't Caught On In The U.S. : Parallels - by Emily Lodish

If there's one thing have in common with those , it's that they both show us just how varied parenting styles can be.

Argentine parents let their kids stay up until all hours; Japanese parents let 7-year-olds ride the subway by themselves; and Danish parents leave their kids sleeping in a stroller on the curb while they go inside to shop or eat.

Some might make American parents cringe, but others sure could use a close study. Vietnamese mothers, for instance, get their kids out of diapers by 9 months.

Read more by clicking on link below for a sampling of parenting lessons from around the world:

Read more: Global Parenting Habits That Haven't Caught On In The U.S. : Parallels : NPR

The best countries in the world to raise kids

If you have children or are thinking of starting a family, you may want to move to either Japan or Europe.

According to a new report by Save the Children, Japan is the best place in the world to be a kid.

Overall, however,  Europe dominates the Index, taking all but four of the top 20 positions. This is of little surprise: it is culturally and politically accepted in Europe that the government will assume a significant role in delivering preschool education. Investment stretches back decades, helping ensure good availability and affordability, with typically high quality.

In second place is Spain, followed by Germany, Italy and France. Canada comes in at No. 6, ahead of Switzerland, Norway, U.K. and the Netherlands. The USA ended up in the 19th place.

EU-Digest

Europe's most premature baby alive

German doctors say a baby girl who was born at 21 weeks and five days is spending Easter at home after five months in neonatal care. She is believed to be the most premature baby in Europe to have survived.

Doctors at the Fulda Children's Clinic say Frieda was born on Nov 7, 2010, weighing just 460g. She was released from the hospital on Wednesday weighing 3.5kg. Frieda's life hung in the balance several times during her long hospitalisation.

A normal pregnancy lasts 40 weeks and a twin brother, Kilian, who was born with Frieda did not survive, the Fuldaer Zeitung newspaper reported.

For more: TODAYonline | World | Europe's most premature baby alive

SomaliNet News: U.S , Britain ranked worst in children report

For the complete report from SomaliNet News click on this link

U.S , Britain ranked worst in children report

The United States and Britain ranked as the worst places to be a child among 21 wealthy nations, according to a report by UNICEF released Wednesday. The Netherlands was the best, it said, followed by Sweden and Denmark. UNICEF's Innocenti Research Center in Italy ranked the countries in material well-being, health, education, relationships, behaviors and risks, and young people's sense of happiness.

The finding that the children in the richest countries are not necessarily the best-off surprised many, said Marta Santos Pais, the study director. The Czech Republic, for example, ranked above countries with a higher per capita income, such as Austria, France, U.S. and Britain, in part because of a more equal distribution of wealth and higher relative investment in education and public health.