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Article: Swiss babies? It's child's play ... if, like me, you're a parent you will know what a special event it is to have children. If, also like me, you became a parent while in Switzerland, you will of course know that even giving birth here has its own special rules and regulations.(CULTURE SHOCK)
- Article from:
- Swiss News
- Article date:
- October 1, 2007
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2007 Swiss News. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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First up, as soon as the woman's water breaks, a form is thrust under her nose--one in which the parents have to specify the name of the child, giving one option for each sex.
Although I am a man, I do know enough about the fairer sex to realise that I should steer clear of annoying a woman in labour! This deal of having to have two names already picked out is a real pain, and anyway, what if 'Ginger' turns out to have dark hair??
Naming children in Switzerland is a linguistic minefield--anything goes. I feel sorry for the generation of Swiss Kevins who had the misfortune to be born in the same year as the movie Home Alone was released. And I'm not quite ...