In the video, Leirfall cuts away hours spent on work, sleep, and chores from a paper strip representing a day, leaving at most three hours with her children. She is open to a four-day school week as a solution, but SV leader Kirsti Bergstø is critical, fearing it will force more part-time work. Longtime business leader Anita Krohn is also skeptical, according to NRK Møre og Romsdal.
According to official sources, 66 municipalities had four-day school weeks for the youngest students in 2023. In Gjemnes, children have no school every Wednesday from first to third grade. Katrine Myklebost Tangen, a mother of two, nurse, and local Frp politician, has a special agreement with her job at Gjemnes nursing home to work evening shifts on Wednesdays, allowing her to be home with her children during the day and still work 100%. According to NRK Møre og Romsdal, Tangen described having a great day with her children every Wednesday and noted that children need a break in the middle of the week. Her son Johan Fredrik (9) said they go for walks, and her daughter Ingrid (6) said they visit friends.
It is definitely part of the flexibility, which is so important, but whether this will suit everyone, I am very unsure about.
Leirfall told NRK Møre og Romsdal that it is high time to prioritize what is best for children, but also warned of a gender equality challenge, as women often reduce their working hours. The impact of a four-day school week on children's learning outcomes and broader economic implications remain unclear.