polonius 54 | 420 1 Dec 2012 / #1Poland's 40 "windows of life" (where new mothers can leave unwanted newborns) are threatened by a UN ruling that every child has a right to know its parents. As an alternative to abandoning an infant in a rubbish heap or outdoors in the cold, women are able to discreetly leave unwanted infants in the windows operated by Catholic convents and leave with no questions asked. The 'windows' are glaa-doored cubiles in the otuside wall of a convent with a warm little bed inside. When the infant is placed therein, the nuns are alerted by a flashing light and turn the baby over to an orphanage for adoption. Yet another example of the Church saving lives.
f stop 24 | 2493 1 Dec 2012 / #2In US an unwanted child can be left at any fire station. Instead of alarms and flashing light though, a Newborn Safety Act allows for gathering some health information from the parent while guaranteeing to protect their anonymity.
OP polonius 54 | 420 1 Dec 2012 / #3In Poland a woman can leave an unwanted newborn at the hospital where it was born, however, within 6 weeks she must appear in court and officially renounce her parental rights. Many women have qualms about doing so and prefer the window of life option. The flasher is only to alert the nuns that a baby has been left. Otherwise it might have to stay for a long time unnoticed.
sofijufka 2 | 187 1 Dec 2012 / #4about ten-twelve years ago I wrote a feature about "windows of life" in hungarian hospitals. Babies could be adopted inmediately. Statistics were, that after introducing "windows" infanticide decreased about 30%
OP polonius 54 | 420 1 Dec 2012 / #5The problem in Poland with adoptions is the red tape involved. However, international organisations insist it is necessary to prevent trafficking in babies and infant body parts. What a beautiful, 'modern', greedy, immoral and hyper-commercialised world we live in, innit!?
Ant63 13 | 410 2 Dec 2012 / #6The problem in Poland with adoptions is the red tape involved.I think if you compare the procedure to other European nations you might find the opposite is true. Didn't you have two siblings murdered by their adoptive parents recently.Read this report it might change your thinking a little: crin.org/docs/CRIN%20OPSC%20Report%20Poland.pdf
noreenb 7 | 548 2 Dec 2012 / #7I hope the windows of life caused that at least few mothers decides not to kill their newborn baby. It saves babies life. I don't understand, a baby has the right to know its mother, fine, but what if the mother doesn't want to know their baby, because, for example she was raped and has no feelings and feels no connection with this child.It happens.
Ant63 13 | 410 2 Dec 2012 / #8The mother had the choice on many levels as to whether she had the child. The child deserves the choice to know from where it came. Would you like to wonder through life thinking who, why, what.
sofijufka 2 | 187 2 Dec 2012 / #9Would you like to wonder through life thinking who, why, what.and would you like to know that your father was a rapist?
Ant63 13 | 410 2 Dec 2012 / #10Now here lies the rub.I equally wouldn't like to think my mother was a *****.I am adopted. For me, who my birth parents were, held little interest. For my sister (not by birth) who was also adopted, it was a necessity for her to round off her life.In the UK we have organisations in place which guide you through this process and a good job they do in most cases. They cover every possible scenario with you, to help you determine if this is the right thing for you to do. For many it is not. Poland unfortunately does not offer the same levels of support but I'm sure they will eventually.I believe most adopties would want to find out their roots but just knowing a name is enough for some like myself.
sobieski 106 | 2111 2 Dec 2012 / #11What a beautiful, 'modern', greedy, immoral and hyper-commercialised world we live in, innit!?You forgot to mention it is the mistake of pop music.
NorthMancPolak 4 | 642 2 Dec 2012 / #12And don't forget... embracing Catholicism would fix all of society's problems! ;) lol
OP polonius 54 | 420 3 Dec 2012 / #13NorthMancPolakYou're quite right on that score. If everyone was a Cahtolic that truly practised their faith, scrupulously obeying the 10 Commandments and 8 Beatitudes, all the world's ills would disappear!
Harry 3 Dec 2012 / #14And if 'Polonius' could follow even a third of the teachings of Jesus, this forum would be a fair better place.
sofijufka 2 | 187 3 Dec 2012 / #15Now here lies the rub.my friend was "partly" adpoted - i.e. he was illegitimate, his biological father was married and had one night stand with a young drinker. When wife of this man found out about this, she insisted, that the boy ought to be adopted by them. He was teenager, when someone "well-wishing" person told him about all of this and it was a real trauma for him. He wanted to meet his biological mother, he met her - and it was a disaster. Sometimes it's better not know to much...
Ant63 13 | 410 3 Dec 2012 / #16Partly adopted??I think it is very difficult for someone who is not involved in adoption to understand. Your logic here is faulty but I understand why and its not a criticism. It was on the cards in this situation and in most adoptees situations, that at some point in their lives they would find out. As a teenager when views are formed this can be a trauma that most cannot imagine. Even as an adult when our thoughts are more rational, it can be traumatic. It is a terrible fact to hide and a great burden for some adoptive parents to carry as a secret. Living a lie is wrong.There are lots of ways to ease this burden. The fact is, it is easy to produce a child, but far more difficult to adopt. In the UK it is a tortuous process that many fail to complete. My adoptive parents broached this with my sister and I at an early age by the use of a book. I still remember vividly this book, which was about a married couple who couldn't have children and the story of how they adopted a baby. Of course it flowered it all up but it introduced an understanding to me and my sister that protected us from playground attacks. Children are viscous in their assaults but we never ever had any problems because we understood, they were ignorant. I cannot say that in my teenage years I didn't have some issues and threw back that I would rather be with my real mother in arguments. I can't imagine the pain I gave my parents saying this and I feel ashamed now that I did this, but this is growing up. A couple of years after my sister and I were adopted, my parents, to their complete surprise conceived two children themselves. My sister and I felt no difference, we were a normal family.There is no shame in being adopted and no shame in adopting. Leave out religious convictions and its a win win situation for all concerned. I have had a few instances over the years when good friends who knew nothing about my life, and have been trying for years for a child, have been left with only the option of adopting and have said very callous, ill thought out things about adopting someone else's b*****d child. Announcing to them I am adopted had a profound effect on them especially as some knew my parents and provoked long conversations over a period of months. Two of my friends went on to successfully adopt and give in one case four siblings a chance in life. The children's birth mother sees the children monthly.There is currently not the same level of support in Poland as we have over here. It will come in time and better education will come with it as well. There will still be some who think differently, and some who let religious convictions get in the way but forget about them, they are dinosaurs.The truth will always out.
Polonius3 980 | 12276 25 Oct 2015 / #17Merged: Life is more important than identity? Unwanted, newly born infants in Poland.The "window of life" found in many Polish citiers has saved the lives of newly born infants which would have otherwise been snuffed out. Thr "window" is a warm and comfy glassed-in cubicle built into the side of a convent, and a mother not willing or able to raise her infant can leave it there anonymously and go her merry way, unseen and unquestioned. The child is sent to hospital and cen be put up for adoption without delay.Now the PC/libertine-dominated por-abortionist UN through its Children's Rights Committee has interfered and wants Poland to do away with the "windows". Why? Because it claims every child has a right to know its identity. Opponents of the foreign intervention agree that children should be able to know who their parentns were, but point out that in extreme cases life takes precendet over identity. The newborns dumped in trash heaps or left to suffocate in plastic bags will also never get to know their identity. It was to limit such infanticidal practices that the window of life was conceived.ww4.rp.pl/Rzecz-o-prawie/310259996-Okna-zycia-wazniejsze-niz-nazwisko-matki.html
Polsyr 6 | 758 25 Oct 2015 / #18As the father of a young child I might be too emotional to be objective on this issue, thus I can't take sides.However, this most certainly is not a foreign intervention. Plenty of Polish organizations and people are opposed to them. Claiming they are foreign and calling them derogatory names does not change the truth.
Polonius3 980 | 12276 25 Oct 2015 / #19foreign interventionMany dzienks! Perhaps "outside interference" or "external intervention" would have indeed more accurately described the situation.
Polsyr 6 | 758 25 Oct 2015 / #20Indeed, but that exists in every issue and isn't unique to this one.I think this is one of those issues that women should have a stronger say in, because they are the ones most affected by any related regulation.
Levi 11 | 433 25 Oct 2015 / #21The Political Correctness Leftwing agenda, funded by European Union leftwings, want to decide even how Poles should raise (or not) their kids????
RubasznyRumcajs 5 | 495 25 Oct 2015 / #22What's the upper age limit for the kids that could be placed there?my partner's teen kids are pain in the arse...
Chemikiem 25 Oct 2015 / #23Now the PC/libertine-dominated por-abortionist UN through its Children's Rights Committee has interfered and wants Poland to do away with the "windows".Do you have any solid information on if/when this is actually going to happen?Only you posted this same information on this thread back in 2012 :-polishforums.com/news/poland-threatens-windows-life-63463/
Polonius3 980 | 12276 25 Oct 2015 / #24Thanks for reminding me. It sounded a bit familiar. I reckon the UN buttinskis perenially pull this rabbit out of the a hat when they need some publicity.