The Danish Secret to Happy Kids

May 6, 2024
This jaunty guide from journalist Russell (How to Be Sad) explores the distinctive parenting culture of Nordic nations, whose inhabitants are humorously referred to as “Vikings” throughout. Russell recounts how she and her husband, both Britons by birth, moved to Denmark in 2013 for work and fell in love with the country, deciding to stay indefinitely and giving birth to three children there. Over the years, she discovered that “Vikings typically trust that children will figure things out, learn how to use their bodies, and manage their surroundings.” Interviews with experts illuminate the wisdom behind this approach, as when Russell investigates the “Viking” belief that moderately risky forms of play (climbing a tall tree, for instance) are good for children by interviewing Danish child development experts who believe such activities help kids better understand the world (“If I jump off this table, what will happen?”). Russell’s humor infuses the bemused cultural commentary (“I knew I’d passed the point of no return when googling ‘best axe for children,’ ” she writes about preparing her eight-year-old son for summer camp), and the recommendations to let siblings settle disputes among themselves and allow kids to make mistakes are refreshing in their respect for children’s autonomy. Readers looking for an alternative to helicopter parenting will want to check this out. Agent: Anna Power, Johnson & Alcock.