Could Danish childhood ever be a UNESCO world heritage site?
The Danish Way of Parenting
by Jessica Joelle Alexander
11M ago
Having lived in Europe for over half my life, I’ve seen many different UNESCO( United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization ) sites. From the Colosseum to the Loire Valley, to the Acropolis; a world heritage site is a protected area for having historical, scientific, or other natural or cultural features considered to be of outstanding value to humanity.  The other day, I was watching a sea of little smiling faces bobbing out of cargo bikes zooming all over Copenhagen, listening to the joyful sounds of free play in the park and the overall sens ..read more
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How to Parent Like the Happiest People in the World
The Danish Way of Parenting
by Jessica Joelle Alexander
1y ago
Q + A with Danish-parenting expert Jessica Joelle Alexander featured in ParentMap For 40 years in a row, Denmark, a small country in the north of Europe, has been cited as having the “happiest people in the world.” What’s their secret? To answer this question, we turned to cultural researcher Jessica Joelle Alexander, a Danish-parenting expert and co-author of “The Danish Way of Parenting: A Guide to Raising the Happiest Kids in the World.” Alexander sat down with ParentMap to describe the principles of the Danish philosophy of parenting and how this powerful method of raising resilient, capab ..read more
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Help! I don’t like my child’s new friend! – The Danish Way of Parenting
The Danish Way of Parenting
by Iben Sandahl
1y ago
Michael is so much fun, your son says. But personally you think he’s a bad kid – what do you do? “Mum, can Michael come home with me today?” Oh no, not again. Last time he was home, he jumped on the sofa, called your child a “moron” and was generally ill-mannered. But for some weird reason your child wants to play with him. Should you lie and say you’re going to be doing something else, or should you just keep your mouth shut and invite Michael home? You should keep your mouth shut and let your child explore this relationship freely. There is a reason your child is attracted to “opposites” or ..read more
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The Danish Way Gets the Royal Treatment
The Danish Way of Parenting
by Jessica Joelle Alexander
1y ago
When I married a Dane over 20 years ago and came to Denmark for the first time, I was a self-proclaimed “non-maternal person”. I didn’t even know if I wanted to have children. What I would learn from this tiny country in the north of Europe, famous for The Little Mermaid, Nordic Noir and Hans Christian Andersen among other things, would blow me away. I wasn’t blown away by the wind, which in fairness was very gusty. I wasn’t blown away by the food or the taxes or the weather. No, it was the children who astonished me. I would find myself endlessly observing peaceful parents and calm, serene ki ..read more
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The Danish Secret to Cherishing Chores
The Danish Way of Parenting
by Jessica Joelle Alexander
1y ago
When the pandemic first hit, I feared for how my family would cope in lockdown. I wondered if constantly being together might break us apart. Ironically, it was the Danish concept of ‘fællesskab’ (community) that held us together.Unity in harmony Fællesskab is a huge part of Danish society. It’s essentially the feeling of unity that comes from being in harmony or a team. There are two kinds of fællesskab. One is the fun kind that flows easily. This could be the feeling that comes from playing a fun game or collaborating well with people we get along with. We are effortlessly part of the g ..read more
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How to use reframing to comfort your child
The Danish Way of Parenting
by Iben Sandahl
1y ago
Six sentences to use when you are at a loss for words when trying to explain the coronavirus to your child. At the moment, we are facing a global crisis with the coronavirus pandemic, which is causing a lot of worry. We, as adults find ourselves frightened, and we know our children are feeling the same way. Nobody knows the full effect and the consequences of this virus yet, however, we all know that it will leave deep scars, and result in a long period of re-balancing for the entire ecosystem. Unfortunately, Corona isn’t the only thing to worry about; every day, we are faced with terror, refu ..read more
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6 Tips for a potential Coronavirus Lockdown
The Danish Way of Parenting
by Jessica Joelle Alexander
1y ago
As my family and many other families across Europe head into our second week of lockdown due to the coronavirus, it seems much of the world is following suit. In these challenging times, I thought it would be useful to share some strategies from The Danish Way of Parenting’s acronym PARENT that have helped my family, and hopefully can help yours should this happen where you live. 1. PLAY Stock-up on board games, LEGOS, arts and crafts, gardening ideas for indoor or outdoor, fun ideas for movement, cooking, baking, creating etc. You will have a lot of time on your hands and ..read more
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A Lesson From Denmark about Helping Kids dealing with Anxiety
The Danish Way of Parenting
by The Danish Way
1y ago
My children attend a big primary school on the lower north shore in Sydney. The school has a reputation for academic excellence, so the pressure to keep up is real. The other night, as always, I asked them how their day had been and to share their favourite story. My daughter admitted she didn’t have a favourite story to share, but a humiliating one. She went on to explain her experience in a class times table competition, where one child was pitted up against another in a race and maths sums were called out by the teacher. The child who answered first got to move up a step. The first to reach ..read more
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Empathy? In Denmark they’re learning it in school
The Danish Way of Parenting
by The Danish Way
1y ago
Denmark is one of the happiest countries in the world. This is according to the UN’s World Happiness Report, an important survey that since 2012 classifies the happiness of 155 countries in the world, and that for seven years has placed Denmark among the top three happiest countries on a global level. The fact that teaching empathy has been mandatory since 1993 in schools in Denmark is a factor that contributes to the happiness of the country. Empathy helps build relationships, prevent bullying and succeed at work. It promotes the growth of leaders, entrepreneurs and managers. “Empathic teena ..read more
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Learning to Let Go
The Danish Way of Parenting
by Iben Sandahl
1y ago
As parents, we spend the majority of our time and energy creating unbreakable bonds with our children as well as a stable foundation to allow them to spread their own wings. However, this makes it difficult when you are the one left behind occupying the empty nest. I have learned that the greatest trial as a mother is to be able to pull away from what is not in my control and fully surrender to life as it unfolds. It is not an easy task, but as I observe my children grow older and become strong and zesty young people, I convince myself that everything is as it ought to be. When life hurts Seve ..read more
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