
Working parents with a baby hire a nanny to care for their child while away. For Japanese parents, the government helps cover part of their babysitting expenses by providing babysitter coupons through their employers.
Each coupon gives parents a 2,200-yen discount for babysitting services. Two coupons can be used per child per day, and one household is allowed to use up to 24 coupons per month, Japan Times reported.
There are no income limits for households that can apply to receive the babysitter discount coupons, and these are offered to families who have children under the third grade in most cases, according to Japan Times.
Last year, nearly 4,000 companies across Japan joined the discount coupon program. The Ministry of Children used to issue 390,000 coupons per year, but there would no longer be a quota this year.
In Italy, there is another way of cutting the cost of childcare.
A mother from the city of Pavia asked a court to evict her two sons from her home. Her pension was barely enough to cover her food and home maintenance expenses.
Tribunal of Pavia Judge Simona Caterbi granted the petition of the mother, who was separated from her husband. The judge gave her children until 18 December to move out.
CNN reported that Caterbi rejected the argument of the two "bamboccioni," or big babies, that the law requires parents to take care of their children for as long as necessary.
In her ruling, she said the 75-year-old mother is no longer expected to maintain her obligation to her two sons, who are over 40 years old.
WJG @tribunephl_wjg