I wanted to love this more than I did. It felt like another play on the success in books re: french culture or how europeans do it better, but it meandered a bit and didn't give as many practical tips as I really wanted from a book like this.

The Danish Secret to Happy Kids is a must-read book by parents. It has several tips in raising happy and confident kids, a few of them such as exposing kids more to nature and letting them work with real tools. It feels cozy and informative as all the other books in series.

The book was beautifully written. The author made careful word choices that were very impactful. Overall, the book was well written and I did really enjoy it.

I was unfortunately unable to finish this book before NetGalley rights expired and I lost access to read it.

This book dragged on and on I couldn’t even finish it. When do we get to the parenting tips? A lot of words with little advice.

Thanks to Netgalley and Sourcebooks for the ARC of this!

I have been looking for parenting content (self-help and memoirs) that resonates with me. While some of the Danish lifestyle would not be a good fit for me (or at least seems to me it wouldn't) this was a very interesting window into the raising of this family's children and the differences between cultures and their expectations for children. Overall this was pleasant and engaging to read.

This book was gripping and hard to put down. It didn't feel like everything else you see out there, it felt very fresh. I really enjoyed this book!

I adored this book--however, it is a very niche book. I love reading about parenting, and specifically, parenting in other countries and cultures. This book fit the bill. It's part memoir, part parenting book written by a British woman who has lived in Denmark for the last 10 years. She's now raising three little "Vikings", as she calls them. This book references the Nordic countries, so we will hear a lot about parenting in Finland, Sweden, Norway, and Iceland, as well. It was fun and interesting--and I so wish to be summering in a little hut next to the beach in Sweden right now.

This was an amazing book. As an avid self-help reader, I was excited to get my hands on a book that would help me benefit my kids. This was an insightful and engaging read.

I might be strange but I love parenting books and a book written about how parents from a different part of the world do it....count me in!

One of my besties lives in Denmark so I am interested in all things Danish. She is one of the coolest people I know and if I had kids that grew up to be like her, I'd be a happy camper. That's not to say that all Danish kids are raised the same. I learnt so many cool things from this book. Some stuff I will definitely be implementing in my life and my children's and some I will not (mostly because it's already a part of it) but I find that the general Danish way of life is very positive. They focus on really living and trying to worry less. They have a great affinity for the outdoors which I love and believe there are great benefits to that. I kind of want to move to Denmark now. 

This is a great read and I'll keep it close to my parenting heart. Thank you @netgalley and @sourcebooks for this eARC. All opinions are my own.

I felt that a lot of the advice in here was to live somewhere else. The studies are interesting, but this is more useful as a sociological study or pop psychology book than as parenting advice. Many Americans know our situation isn't ideal, and this is just reinforcing that message.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

The Danish Secret to Happy Kids was a fantastic read. While I don't have children myself yet, as an educator I took away a lot from this book. Russell's book is both enlightening and practical, offering a refreshing perspective on parenting that is rooted in a culture that prioritizes happiness and well being. Russell's exploration of Danish parenting practices provides valuable takeaways for parents seeking to create a nurturing and joyful environment.

A fresh outlook on raising well adjusted children. I gleaned some helpful advice from this title that I will carry into my classroom. This book recognizes that children are humans and outlines simple and effective strategies to help nurture their independence along with other skills.

Just as delightful as "The Year of Living Danishly"! Helen Russell's writing is accessible, humorous, informed, and welcoming. I found myself chuckling throughout the book and learned a lot about Scandinavian philosophy towards child-rearing. I agree with the importance of playing outside as much as possible, although I am unlikely to leave my little one napping in a stroller outside a restaurant. Since I live in the US, this could land me in jail. Overall, a very enjoyable and informative reading experience. This is a great book for anyone interested in learning about Denmark and Scandinavia generally, or for fans of funny and relatable parenting books. Thank you very much to NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS for an early copy in exchange for my honest review!

As a soon-to-be parent I find it fascinating to read about the child-rearing culture in other countries. I tend to be a little more uptight about things so hearing how laid-back Danish parents are was a breath of fresh air to me. I will try to incorporate some of these techniques in my new role as a mom! Very interesting read.

I am not yet a mother, but definitely find myself reading any sort of parenting books I can get my hands on because I am looking into getting pregnant. I really enjoyed this one! It's great to see another perspective and I've heard different things about the Danish way of raising kids! I highly recommend this one!

The information presented in this book is interesting and compelling. However, the format in which it is presented is aggravating to read. I did a lot of skimming over the dialogue parts as I felt they did not add to the point of the book. I appreciated the summarizations at the end of each chapter.

I will read anything Helen Russel writes. They are all very easy to read/conversational and feel like you’re chatting with a friend. I think this book is being listed as parenting, but I feel it’s more an observation on Scandinavian parenting rathan than a guide. While there are some good takeaways, I think it would be difficult to impossible to implement many of the ideas if you are not located in a Nordic country.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Helen Russell has been over in Denmark for a while. We've all seen the studies telling us that Nordic people are among the happiest on Earth, their crime rate is low, they have a strong social net, their taxes actually pay for human needs as opposed to going into privatized corporations, blah, blah, blah.

It's interesting to see how this all impacts their children. As a parent myself, I can admit that I'm a lot more "lax" in terms of American-style parenting. I never really thought about how people in other countries raised their kids. I simply did what I thought was best for my daughter, based on how I grew up. And when my son arrived on the scene several years later, if anything, I got more chill. This is not to say that I'm letting them run totally wild. Denmark may be a safe place to let kids go out on their own and experience life like a mini-adult, but the good ol' US of A is decidedly not. Especially in the neighborhood where I could afford a home.

Russell is an engaging writer. I feel as though I can relate to her because she injects a lot of awkward humor into her writing, and I am nothing if not awkward. She has experts that she speaks with throughout the book, but she also has friends raising their children at the same time she is, which gives a nice parallel and helps to tamp down a lot of her fears in regard to Danish parenting.

She explains many of the ways that the Nordic countries are dissimilar to us, and the ways that are hugely impactful with their kids. From pre-conception to teenagehood, each is covered in detail as she attempts to raise her children the Danish way. I found myself agreeing with a LOT of what Nordic families say is important for kids. Apparently, my innate understanding of what was best for my kids actually falls in line with a lot of research to support it. *Pat myself on the back*

One of the features, that I enjoyed the most about the book is at the end of each chapter. Some chapters meander a little bit (which I'm totally okay with) but it might cause you to forget some of the more important stuff from earlier. Russell includes a short summary of what she learned from each chapter. It was really helpful for those of us who lose focus easily.

This is one of those books that I will probably be handing out at baby showers for the next few years. And if you are in the process of conception, read it with your partner. Trust me.

My Interest

With the exception of their new King Frederick and Queen Mary, and possible Fred’s brother Prince Joachim and his family, the Danes are supposedly the happiest people on Earth. Even the new Queen used to take her little princes and princess to preschool on her bike. The former Queen, Margarethe, known to British courtiers as “The Great Dane,” openly smoked in public and had a happy private life as an illustrator and set designer.

Then there’s the whole hygge thing. These are happy people. Why?

Apparently it starts at birth….

The Story

How to Raise a Viking

The Danes approach child raising without all the angst of modern-day-American parents. If they go out to a cafe for lunch, they park the stroller, with baby in it, outside and just enjoy their lunch. No CPS raid, no abducted kids–or fears of those things happening.

School starts outside. There is no such thing as bad weather–only inadequate clothing [paraphrase] is the mantra. Little ones are dressed in gear suitable for outdoors and…stay there. They play outdoors in ALL weather, but suitably dressed in warm snowsuits, waterproof boots and all the rest of it. They get dirty. They stomp in the mud. They climb things–and there’s no soft pad at the bottom if they fall. They are not then power washed, sanitized and rushed to a pediatrician. They just go home and eat whatever Mom or Dad puts on the table and then move on to the next part of their day.

They experience animal dissection at a very young age. Of course, being as old as dirt, I remember an elementary teacher bringing in a cow’s eye for us to examine. I wonder how many trauma counselors would be needed for that today? Back to Denmark, nearly everyone goes to public school. They are not pushed to be geniuses nor pulled out to become pro athletes. They get on with it.

College is free, but first there is Folk School–a unique Danish institution in which “folk” subjects are taught–culture, songs, and getting along. It’s a big deal. So big a deal that the Danes were even pretty happy during COVID because they joined in through windows and wide open spaces and sang the songs from Folk School song book every evening! They all knew the same songs!

Kids of all ages are free. Ride your bike to school? Of course! A Mommy following behind in a car like they’d do here? No way! They just…ride…to school. That’s it. No one freaks out.
My Thoughts

The author is an British expat living in Denmark but she was able to make this book very relatable to American parents. Her first book was the best-selling A Year of Living Danishly.

I sigh with longing for this style of life. I remember my minister’s wife, our school nurse, coming and saying she sadly had to have an explanation for the marks on my kid’s arm. She knew us. Knew there was no abuse. Knew that my son spent as much time in the woods and cornfields surround our house as he could. Nature heals trauma–I moved there so he could have that. In Denmark, if anyone noticed they’d likely have asked if he’d built a fort or found any cool birds nests! [They do, of course, have laws and mechanisms for preventing or dealing with child abuse–I’m not making light of that].

Of course all of this is possible because until recently they were a nearly homogeneous society. We aren’t like that here so it is comparing apples to dump trucks. I only wish we could have some of this sanity. If you live across the street from the school here, you either still have to get on a bus or your parents must drive your or MAYBE a parent can help you cross the street. Insane. A child here riding a bike alone is seen as a problem–even when they are obeying the rules of the road, riding a properly sized bike with any locally mandated safety gear. Sanity. We need sanity.
My Verdict
4.0

The Danish Secret to Happy Kids by Helen Russell, arrives July 9, but can be preordered.

Such a fun book! I read the Kindle version.