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Hi, My name is Caroline and Im from Sweden (Im half Swedish/half Polish by the way), I have a family together with my husband that is from the UK that also is here in FDR and he was the one that originally introduced me. We run a business together and have two little boys. We have both been drawn to FDR because we listen to the podcasts and we feel there are likeminded people to us here. Sweden is an amazingly beautiful country with a nice climate and we have had a good life here, but I believe that it has a culture that is actually not good for the family, I guess most of you are from the states so Ill explain: We noticed since we had our first child that the state sticks its nose in as soon as your baby comes out and if you dont do as they say they try to push you to do that. A lot of people we have know dont think for themselves from the beginning and dont want to check the facts themselves regarding bad advice and being forced to do what is best for the state rather than what is best for the family; such as breast feeding, carrying babies, co-sleeping, non-forceful parenting etc. It gets weirder the older our kids get and the more parenting experience we get. Everywhere where there are kids I see screaming babies not getting their needs met and children getting forced around. At least its good that spanking is banned 84% of 1yearold babies are in kindergardens (most of them fulltime). It is simply not socially acceptable for most to not have your child in kindergarden from that age, there are huge incentives from the state where the state funds 92% of the actual cost and there are penalties (you loose your sick pay benefits) that make people put the kids in kindergarden early. The lefties even want to make the kindergarden compulsary from age 3! I dont actually mind kindergarden as long as the kids want to be there. Our kids are with a child minder part time for now and like it, if they dont we wont force them. The school is compulsary from age 7 (majority of kids starts at 6) and any alternative forms such as homeschooling is banned. (and its also almost unheard of) The Swedish school system is such that every school has to follow the government curriculum even though it they call themselves montessori, steiner etc even though its not remotely what they call themselves so the Swedish "free school" is a big lie. We have visited many schools and had many chats with principals and found none that actually will look after the needs for our sons. You have to be the same as everyone else or you will be forced to be so if you learn to fast or to slow you will have a real boring or hard time. If you dont comply you get in trouble, such as getting hefty fines that are decided on your income so you cant pay and your kids taken away if you dont put your kids in school. one family that tried to move to india to homeschool had their kid taken away on the plane when they tried to leave - as an example to put other people off. Just google Domenic Johansson. Because of this we are leaving everything here soon so that we can educate our sons on what they are interested in at their levels or find a good school that will do that. Our new adventures begins this autumn and we dont know where yet.