I recently read that across the globe there is a huge boom in Parenting books. New parents with roaming wi-fi are seeking out advice and “how-to” from Germany, the Netherlands and further afield. Not surprisingly many families are looking for help on how to best raise their children. Is that possible? Or are we just trying to find a simple solution to an age-old conundrum. I am not sure but let’s explore some of the new popular reads and recent trends in parenting!
One of the current top reads is, The Danish Way of Parenting. It promotes raising confident children through “skolefritidsordning” or a free time school where children explore and play all day long. This book is sold in 23 countries, is in its ninth printing here and is a best seller in Italy. Another Nordic book believes “friluftsliv” or open air living is key. Children playing outside, getting dirty and learning through play is the cornerstone of the curriculum. A number of schools in the United States, primarily for PreK and Kindergarten are emphasizing the benefits and advantages of outdoor learning and play. Please check out more about these schools in a New York Times article in the link below.
Fiddleheads School, Seattle Washington Don’t you just love the name of this school? It just sounds like a happy place for kids and makes me want to move out there!
Due out in January here in the United States is, Achtung Baby by American author Sara Zaske. Sara is originally from the United States but is living with her young family in Germany. Her experiences there have helped her to write about the German culture’s different techniques for raising self-reliant, and independent children. Some pieces sound like they might be a bit extreme but overall the message of “doing for yourself” sounds intriguing as we fight here in the states to not “helicopter.”
If you are seeking out strict child-rearing practices you might be interested in Little Soldiers by Lenora Chu. She is an American mom who enrolled her son at three years old in a state-run school in China. The name frightens me a bit but it could be interesting and helpful on setting limits.
A tried and true favorite here is On Becoming Babywise: Giving Your Infant the Gift of Nighttime Sleep by Dr. Robert Bucknam MD and Gary Ezzo MA. Many families swear by the technique professed by this book and there are additional books to help you as your child ages.
I was fortunate to hear author Amy Chua speak at an education conference. She penned Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother. She was actually pretty humorous in her talk, poking a bit of fun at herself on her extreme methodology and very high expectations of her children. I would love to speak with her children sometime and hear their take aways!
Bottom line, raising kids and being a parent is hard work. At the same time it can be delightful, joyful, exhausting and most days a blessing. Our oldest daughter just had her first baby. It is absolutely the best. And as I shared with her, at first it’s just survival as you try to figure out this brand new and amazing creature. After that it seems love and balance are the keys. And maybe a book or two from the Nordic to help with resilience and independence!
Have a great week.
Best,
Laine