What can governments do to make fertility rates go up? Pay women to make ’em and watch ’em. Great info on policies in other nations. (via Megan)

Spain now offers a 2,500 euro bonus for every baby born. South Korea, which has one of the world’s lowest
fertility rates, shells out $3,000 per couple for in-vitro
fertilization. And in Germany, where women have an average of 1.3
babies, Angela Merkel proposed up to 1,800 euros a month for
stay-at-home parents, and more day-care centers to improve the public
image of working moms.

Megan doubts that these policies actually work. She points out that the US has a higher birth rate than Canada. Of course, US has more immigration from Latin America than Canada does. There are other cultural differences here that makes America a bad comparison to Europe. 

(Here’s another article about work-family issues in the Netherlands.)

Question of the Day. Would you have an extra kid, if you recieved a $5,000 bonus, $2,000 per months that you stay home, and then a more flexible workplace with five weeks of vacation every year?