Interesting article by the Guardian looking at the countries where babies cry the most and least; sadly, Canada, Italy and the UK did not fare well; Denmark, on the other hand, were top of the table for the happiest babies. Coincidentally, the Danish regularly top the chart for being happiest people in the world too ... The question is why?According to the authors of a new book, The Danish Way of Parenting, it is all down to a happy upbringing and the book contains plenty of practical suggestions; one example is an easy-to-remember acronym for 'Parent' - 'Play', 'Authenticity', 'Reframing', 'Empathy', 'No ultimatums' and 'Togetherness'. Danish policies are also geared toward supporting the family unit; the first year of a child's life is considered of utmost importance, so maternity and paternity leave is generous. There is an emphasis on free play and to accommodate this, school finishes at 2pm for children under the age of ten.
As the author reveals, to discover the way Danish children are nurtured, one has to look beyond parenting and to the very heart of Danish culture. 'Togetherness' or the concept of hygge is ingrained into the Danish psyche and is about making time for families to spend time together. No grand plans required - simply lighting some candles, playing games and singing are popular pastimes...
