America has some interesting unspoken rules surrounding caring for children, making cultural differences difficult to navigate. What might be normal in one person’s country or culture may be considered dangerous in America. With that in mind, it may be surprising to learn that in Scandinavian countries parents often put their babies outside to nap. Even when they’re away from the house, babies get bundled up and set outside oftentimes without their parent or caregiver immediately nearby. I can feel the shock through the screen.
Yes, these babies are placed outside in the summer or winter to catch their midday nap while their parents check in on them from time to time. It may seem strange to people who aren’t from Scandinavia, and doing so in America may warrant an investigation by Child Protective Services.
But now that Scandinavia-style forest schools are on the rise in America, we could be in for a shift. Maybe this type of child-rearing will be normalized in America eventually.
