It doesn’t matter if you’re an attachment parent, crunchy-style mom, or a high-powered helicopter parent, there’s a lot to be learned from the way parents raise kids across the globe. Here are some parenting practices from around the world that could up our game.
Italy: “Don’t Indulge Tantrums” - When little ones are being little terrors, Italians don’t coddle them, they let them exhaust themselves playing it out. Eventually the kids catch on that acting like that won’t help them get their way.
France: “Speak to your child like an adult” - To encourage maturity, French parents talk to their young kids in normal voices instead of cooing and using “baby talk.”
India: “Young kids shouldn’t sleep alone” - They’re all about family-style sleeping arrangements because space is so limited in India. Regardless of class or location, it’s not uncommon for kids to bunk with their parents or siblings until they’re at least six.
Denmark: “Fresh air is essential for good health” - Even in the frigid winters, Danish kids get up to an hour of time to play outside every day.
Japan: “Give them independence early” - Thanks to their low crime rate, the Japanese encourage kids as young as five to go off on their own and ride the subway or bus around solo.
Australia: “No hat, no play” - They’re serious about sun protection down under, so sun hats are a part of kids’ school uniforms.
England: “Bragging is in bad taste” - All the Facebook boasting about how many words your preschooler knows is considered tacky by British parents. They value modesty and teach the kiddos that bragging just isn’t polite.
Argentina: “Bedtime isn’t the be all, end all” - You won’t find Argentinean parents rushing home from an evening out just to get the kids to bed by eight. They let them stay up late at social gatherings and sleep in the next morning and their kids are just fine anyway.
Source: PureWow