Parenting is the best of times and the worst of times… So, we should be open-minded to what’s working for other parents around this great big world, even if it does seem a bit unorthodox. Let’s share some parenting strategies, tweak them if we have to, and then see what happens. Maybe we learn something new or at least amused a little bit.
Did you know that parents leave their babies outside sleeping in their strollers in sub-zero temperatures in Denmark and Norway? They do this because they believe it helps their baby’s lung development and overall health. Can we borrow something from these parents?
Let’s move over to Kenyan parents now. Parents in this part of Africa avoid making eye-contact with their children when they believe their children are participating in attention-seeking behaviors. The results of this kind of parenting are better-behaved children and less selfish children. Can we borrow or share anything from Kenyan parents?
Zipping over to Vietnam now. Vietnamese parents teach their babies to pee to a whistle. As soon as their babies begin peeing, Vietnamese parents make a whistling sound. Eventually, through a progression of steps, Vietnamese parents have their babies peeing on cue to their whistle. The result is that Vietnamese babies are potty-trained and out of diapers by 9 months old. Is there anything we can borrow or share from Vietnamese parents?
Finally, heading to Japan, we’ll see parents allowing their children to ride the subway alone as young as four years old. Japanese parents believe this teaches their children independence. I couldn’t imagine this one catching on in New York City in the U.S… However, is there anything here that we can borrow or share from the Japanese parents?
Now, as my Granddaddy always said, “Go learn, lead and lay the way to a better world for all of us.” Don’t be too proud to borrow from other parents around the world when it makes sense for you to do so. And once again, parents, thanks in advance for all that you do, and all that you will do…