Bringing up kids in London vs Denmark

[Niceguy2]

UK vs Denmark children

I read this article and thought it was very interesting. I must agree that as a nation we're overly paranoid about peadophiles and nodded when it said that we legislate based on the worst case.

funny when i came across your thread. i have a special place in my heart for dk. i've been there many times due to my husband working with danes. i love the place to bits. when ever i go there, especially years ago when i first used to go, i would feel sad as i would see something there that reminded me of how the uk/london used to be, dk seemed so unchanged although my last few visits i have sadly seen it is heading the way we have gone. i have always noticed with shock at first, how cafes would have prams outside (with babies in) whilst the mothers chat and have coffe inside, we could NEVER do that here. i read the attached article and was not surprised b any of it as i was already familiar with some of it. my dh loves it there as he thinks it is very socialist! you rarely see big fancy cars there even though there are obviously wealthy people there, most people cycle around and there is so much emphasis on children/love of family. one of the strangest things i found was the satisfaction and happiness you would find in so many people doing jobs that alot in the uk would consider to be 'menial'. where ever we went, whatever the job the danes doing it had a sense of pride and were so bloody friendly! i still love london and want to live here but there are many things i love about dk, and if certain situations weren't as they are in my life i would go and live there in a shot. it always feels alot cleaner and importantly safer there although as i said earlier, less so the last few times i have gone. i would certainly recommend anyone who hasn't been to go for a trip!! children would love Tivoli, central in copenhagen fancy 'fun fair', unlike uk equivalents it is unbelievably clean and the staff are so friendly, feel very safe there, no drunks walking around intimidating anyone

If I had the choice I'd be raising my dts in Denmark! Experience some of that hygge.

I'd go to Denmark like a shot.

I like "If these sorts of stories were published in Denmark [...] men would claim: we, too, want to be responsible for our children's dysfunction!"

thread hijack! Prof, we've missed you on the Feb thread, come back!

What I liked about the article was that it was balanced: they saw the obvious flaws in English society (the paranoia, the stress, the overprotectiveness) but also the advantages.

Personally, as a Scandinavian, I am rather pleased that I did raise my children in the UK, in a society where they could stay at home for the first few years and still meet other children.

The Swedish friends I know who tried the experiment of SAHP gave it up quickly as there was simply noone to socialise with: all the other children were at nursery.

And there was nothing to stop my English dh from taking his turn at being a SAHD.

Perhaps the ideal society was the one I grew up in as a child in Scandinavia, before the massive expansion of childcare and the expectations that every parent would be in fulltime employment. Having said that, my mother's career was shot to pieces...

It's difficult, isn't it?

It did sound quite tough, being forced into working long hours whether you want to or not. That would put me right off. Having a disabled child, I always wonder what the situation is in other countries regarding childcare and respite and disability benefits? These articles usually only apply to 'normal' families.

I don't know much about DK, but I do know that one of my fave bands (Volbeat) is from there, so I'd love to visit someday :)

I read this article also, said that Denmark has the highest divorce rate in Europe, so they must be doing something wrong. The Danes I know don't send their kids to Danish state schools for fear their kids will be influenced in a bad way by other Danish kids My friends also tell me that burglaries are common place in Copenhagen , so it does'nt sound all that great to me

Don't know about Denmark, donkey, though I do know about Sweden. Obviously, nobody is forcing mums to go to work- it's just that everybody else is at work, so you're going to end up pretty lonely as the only SAHM in the area. Thinking about it, my SIL was a SAHM and my db is a SAHD of sorts (he runs a business from home as well as looking after kids), so it's not impossible, just harder to manage socially.

Disability benefits at least as generous as here, nurseries on the whole better quality and heavily subsidised.

I have been to Copenhagen and the countryside in summer. Very beautiful standard of environmental design and lovely nature and landscape, the living standard is high; Fine old and modern architecture, the coulours are artistic and all looks great when you are from outside.

When you are in DK and work it is another story.

I have been inside a school in Copenhagen. The layout and design standards are the best I have ever seen in any school. Who would not want to sent their child there. But still I would prefer to home educate my dc in London, a city where so much happens.

Trylikingclarity - there is a great music scene in dk, that is why i have been there so many years as dh plays with a dk band (although not the one you mentioned). you should go to rosgilde frestival in the summer. never been to that festival but been to alot of other danish ones, always have a really mellow nice vibe, almost like tea parties!! :)