Marina Yardaeva 200 thousand for a child? Give it to the fathers! 31.05.2024, 08:06

By the summer, debates about demography were revived. Authorities are once again offering women various advantages in exchange for contributing to the future of the country through reproduction. They promise 200 thousand to the first child born before the age of 25. Working hours were shortened on Friday so that there was time to do housework and care for the children.

Ladies don’t even raise their eyebrows anymore. They have already been promised so much that the next words are just white noise. But the men’s reaction is interesting. Many are angry. They ask why is everything going to the aunts again? So they are angry, where is the paternal support?

And guess what? And I agree. Let the authorities lag behind the weaker sex. Let them motivate, persuade, bribe our brave knights to give birth. Not literally, of course, in the old way, through women, but let our men be responsible for the reproduction of the nation. And let them promote their dad capital, the benefits of getting pregnant, shortened work days, no, whole weeks, and even give expectant dads free vitamins, uh, sedatives. Otherwise, some poor fellows are already completely exhausted: the state constantly drives them away, you know, pursues such a vile policy that the ladies perceive them as donors, use and throw them away. Really! Other breadwinners complain that their children’s mothers are divorcing them due to social benefits. And other sneaky predators – just imagine! – They do not want to get married and do not write the father’s name on the children’s birth certificate. There is no respect for the male gender.

Actually why are they so bad? Maybe they don’t have bikes? Maybe men who are actually ready to reproduce deserve encouragement? I found a woman willing to give birth to you, I convinced her of your reliability – eagle! Compensation won! After all, there are all kinds of affiliate programs: I persuaded a friend to become a client of the company and received a bonus. And this is not some kind of joke, but an issue of national importance.

So how many will be the recipients of such compensation, how many birds will fly to the middle of the Dnieper? It is clear that there will be those who want it. One can also foresee the fact that the redistribution of budget carrots can affect the mating behavior of reproductively active individuals. So what will be the result?

I can imagine wonderful scenes. For example, two people meet on a dating app and the guy gives it to her instead of all kinds of sinful FWB (friends with benefits, friendship sex) or sex but immediately presents a serious project. “In short, there is a theme,” the gentleman writes to the lady, interspersing his speech with expressions with a sly look. “We can collect two hundred and split it equally.” We meet, you get pregnant, you give birth – you have a hundred dollars for diapers, I have a brand new console! But for some reason the beautiful stranger disappears into the mists. Probably because it has a crown.

What about papacapital? Also, different pictures appear in my sick mind. “Darling, let’s give birth to the second: it’s time to update the car! What do you mean you can’t? Yes, there are many withdrawal plans. We will also carry the children. Fishing”. But the lover does not understand anything and sends his beloved in a certain direction, approximately in the direction of fishing, or even further and on foot.

Do you think this is a vile slander against men? Excuse me, the author remembers well what a revival was observed in men’s communities in those periods when deputies wanted to allow maternity capital to be spent on the purchase of cars. Of course, then certain types of men became more active. I would like to believe that they are a minority. But even today, the great originals condemn, to put it mildly, social injustice in the field of reproduction.

After all, extremely alternative-minded comrades may be outraged that women cynically abandon men for the sake of a living wage. Well, or if they are truly abandoned by those whose real value as the head of the family, breadwinner, protector (and what else is on the list?) is such that it does not even reach the minimum wage. And if such characters begin to multiply thanks to special male benefits, like mold spores, then this, of course, is scary. But thank God they won’t start. Because who will give it to them? I mean, it’s unlikely that women will agree to share that enthusiasm with them.

However, seriously responsible fatherhood certainly needs to be encouraged. So is responsible motherhood. But not with bribery, not with idle chatter about the honorable mission of parenthood. And regardless of what combination of sex chromosomes these people carry, it would be better to completely forget about those who have not yet decided, who have not matured to pass their genes on to future generations. It is necessary to create and maintain conditions for those who have already made their choice and do not regret it at all.

Development of social infrastructure, increased guarantees in the labor market, good education, quality healthcare, affordable housing – this is a simple set that always works. Give people confidence in the future, convince them that they live in a civilized society, and not in the jungle where everyone is for himself, and they will happily think of their continuation in children. Because it’s natural. At least for most homo sapiens.

There is no need even for a special demographic policy. Moreover, an explosion of purely situational and ridiculous explosions: promise 200 thousand here, then give ten thousand, introduce concessional family mortgages, but not for everyone, only for those whose children were born after 2018 (God, what is the point of these stupid restrictions Between, What did the children born in 2017 do wrong?), Hot meals should be free in schools, only breakfasts should be served, not lunches, new clinics equipped with the latest technology should be built, but expert personnel should not be employed. People look at this with surprise and are in no hurry to introduce children to such a strange world. This is a little worrying.

This is especially concerning for women. Just by nature (now the author will be punished for sexism). However, women’s anxiety can be relieved by a strong, reliable man. If he wants, of course. However, he cannot be forced if he wants to. If the state can make men want this, if it can create conditions that will enable them not only to want this but to be able to do it, demographically all will be well. And if not, then the same woman, you know, is somehow no longer interested in saving the country from extinction. Even for money. Because I want it for love.

The author expresses his personal opinion, which may not coincide with the position of the editors.