Feature: Finnish experts say full parenthood belongs to father as well

While Finland enjoys the fame as most favorable place to be mothers, many of the Nordic country's analysts believe that fathers should be attached more importance to.

-- The world famous Finnish Maternity Package should be renamed to cover the role of fathers;

-- Fathers should get separate counseling centres.

The above are just two of many ideas related to recognition of fathers as parents seen in Finnish media as Finland observed Fathers' Day on Nov. 8.

"The role of a father in Finland is still not seen as full parenthood, but as something that complements the role of a mother," said researcher Juha Jamsa who has analyzed parenthood in Finland.

Interviewed with national broadcaster Yle, Jamsa said a man taking full responsibility over parenthood still finds his abilities are questioned, even by social service workers.

The national ombudsman for children, Tuomas Kurttila told media that fathers should be taken better into account in social services directed to families. Even though the role of fathers in raising children has increased, there are researches indicating fathers are more dissatisfied than mothers with the support they get from professionals.

Kurttila said that counseling centres for fathers should be established along the lines of the maternity counseling services. All Finnish municipalities have maternity counseling but very few have comparable centres for fathers.

Kurttila said that if a father shows up alone in a family service unit he will be asked where the mother is.

Since 1940s, all mothers in Finland have received a free package of useful goods and clothing when they visit maternity counseling.

National broadcaster Yle has now launched a campaign to find a new name for the package. One of the suggestions is simply "Parenthood package".

Several Finnish cemeteries have remembrance stones dedicated to mothers. People whose mothers have been buried far away can visit the stone to show respect for their mother.

But a Tampere region businessman Paavo V Suominen found out that no cemetery had erected a similar stone for fathers, although nearly all Finnish cemeteries have a war dead memorial, usually depicting male soldiers.

Businessman Suominen decided to correct the situation at least locally and on Sunday in Ylojarvi, near Tampere, a stone for the Father was unveiled, on private land.

Fathers' Day arrived in Finland in 1970s while Mothers' Day in May has been observed since 1920s.

In Finland, Mothers' Day has also some solemn national character, mainly due to the way Mothers' Day was used for propaganda purposes during the Second World War. Endit