There are many differences I’ve noticed between an American parenting style and a Norwegian parenting style since we’ve been living in Norway. I’ve really appreciated a difference in parenting perspective that has opened my eyes to a different way of doing things.
The differences I talk about below are all from my personal experience and perspective. I recognize this might not be everyone’s experience.
Primary school and the Jåttå Model
One of the major differences is in the daycare approach for children. First, Norway actually provides maternity and paternity leave to their professional workforce, unlike the US. In Norway, between both the mother and the father, they have a combined 1-year of parental leave.
This means many children don’t enter into daycare until they are 1-year old. Wow! What a difference this makes not only for the child, but the parents. Many parents in the US will have to return to work just 6 weeks (or even less in some cases) after giving birth. This can create postpartum issues with the mother, separation anxiety between parent/child, and other physical stress.
In Norway, once the child enters barnehage, the school will likely follow the Jåttåmodellen. The Jåttå model emphasizes the parents’ importance for the child’s time at barnehage. The parents are present with the child throughout their stay for the first few days.
I spent 3 days transitioning with MJ to his new school. The first day, we spent half a day there, and our time together at the school gradually increased during the 3 days. This is such a brilliant idea.
When we first dropped MJ off at his daycare in Houston (when he was 3 months), I cried and cried and cried. It was a terrible feeling leaving him with strangers to look after while I had to return to work.
With the Norwegian way, not only does it ease the child’s fears and anxiety, but it relieves the parents’ some, and I’m sure the teachers! While there, we spent our time learning about the school and playing.
I got a chance to tell MJ’s teachers all the little quirks, likes and dislikes about MJ as we went along with our day. It is so comforting to know that his teachers have a head start on learning MJ’s personality and all the things that make him unique right away.
Napping Outside
Another major difference between Norway and the United States is that it is common to allow the children to sleep outside…even in the winter! Each child has a stroller with a bunting bag that the teachers wrap them up in. The children are of course very warm in all their wool and fleece and then the bunting bag.
Supposed benefits of sleeping outside include: health and children being happier, more energetic, able to sleep better through the night, and capable of snoozing in any environment, even loud and bright.
MJ is sleeping in a crib inside the barnehage, instead of outside. It is what he is used to and we didn’t want to do something different for him along with all the changes he was already experiencing with a new baby in the house and a move to a foreign country and starting a new school.
Since our youngest has begun attending barnehage, we agreed to let him nap outside. We notice he is having longer naps because of this and have noticed he can fall asleep anywhere!
The Reggio Emilia Philosophy
A second difference is the Norwegian perspective on raising children. Since we have been living in Norway I have noticed many parents give their children the space to explore their environment in a safe manner but without “helicopter parenting.”
While it is common for US parents to hover and stop their children from exploring their environment to prevent them from getting hurt, that is not what we have observed in Norway. Some might use the term, “free range parenting.”
This may have something to do with the Reggio Emilia approach to preschool and primary education. According to Wikipedia, the Reggio Emilia philosophy is based upon the following set of principles:
- Children must have some control over the direction of their learning;
- Children must be able to learn through experiences of touching, moving, listening, and observing;
- Children have a relationship with other children and with material items in the world that they must be allowed to explore;
- Children must have endless ways and opportunities to express themselves.
Children are respected and have rights and should be given opportunities to develop their potential. Much of the instruction at Reggio Emilia schools takes place in the form of projects where they have opportunities to explore, observe, hypothesize, question, and discuss to clarify their understanding.
Outside Play vs. Structured Education
A third major difference I’ve noticed is the allowance of outside play instead of a focus on structured learning inside. Children in the barnehager get to play outside for the majority of the day- rain or shine.
You must send your child to school with all weather type clothing. In the summer we send MJ with heavy duty rain-gear to keep him dry while he is outside. In the winter, we send him with a snow-suit, fleece undergarments and layers and snow boots.
It is more important to have the children play and learn outside during the pre-school/primary years than to have them focus on languages, colors, or their numbers. It is believed all that will come in time in Norway and that children should learn through play in their primary years.
In the United States, it is common for parents to put pressure on their young children to perform. Because of this, some children are becoming more stressed and anxiety ridden younger and younger. Some of this may stem from the US-culture of making your child start learning younger and younger.
My thoughts
Since we have moved to Norway I have a newfound appreciation for just letting my children be children in their primary years! I love the laid-back Norwegian perspective of letting children play outside as often as they can and learn through their play. They trust their children to experience their world around them and make mistakes, all while in a safe environment provided by their parents without hovering.
I read the book, The Happiest Kids in the World by Rina Mae Acosta and Michele Hutchison before moving to Norway. The authors are American and British expats living in the Netherlands raising their chidlren.
While some of what they discuss is different from raising kids in Norway, a lot of what they discuss applied to raising kids in Norway too!
This is a great read for parents that want to embrace a different perspective in raising children.
