While the rest of Europe struggles with empty cribs, France maintains a birth rate of nearly 1.8 children per woman. That is by far the highest in Europe. What do the French know that others do not?
Childcare for all
The French childcare system — the crèche — accepts children from as young as 2–3 months old. Childcare places are heavily subsidized, and for many families the costs are minimal. This allows French mothers to return to work early without having to choose between career and children.
France spends over 1 percent of GDP on childcare and early childhood services — nearly double the OECD average. In addition, all families receive a monthly cash benefit from the second child onward, currently over 130 euros per child per month.
Relaxed parents, more children
Here is the surprising part. According to an analysis in the Financial Times, French parents spend far less time on so-called "intensive parenting" than parents in countries like South Korea and the United States. In 1965, mothers in developed countries spent just over one hour per day on activities with their children. By 2018, this had risen to three hours — and in South Korea, nearly four.
France is the exception. French parents take a more relaxed approach: children eat what the adults eat, bedtimes are later, and there is less pressure to optimize every minute of the child's upbringing. Researchers believe this makes having children feel less overwhelming.
A culture that celebrates families
France has invested in family-friendly policy for generations. Maternity leave is 16 weeks for the first child and increases to 26 weeks for the third. But experts point to something more important than individual policies: French society as a whole is built on the idea that children are a natural part of life, not an obstacle to it.
What does this mean globally?
Most developed countries have birth rates well below the 2.1 needed to maintain population size. Countries with the strongest family policies — generous parental leave, subsidized childcare, child benefits — tend to have higher birth rates than those without. But as France demonstrates, the cultural attitude toward parenting may matter just as much as the financial support.
Thinking about starting a family? Use an ovulation tracker and follow your pregnancy week by week with our pregnancy calendar.
Further reading
- South Korea: Birth rates rise for the first time in 15 years
- Iceland: Lowest birth rate since 1853
- Hungary: Tax exemptions for mothers — does it work?