The Danish Way of Parenting: What the Happiest People in the World Know About Raising Confident, Capable Kids

by Jessica Joelle Alexander, Iben Sandahl Narrated by Kim Mai Guest

Overview

International bestseller

As seen in The Wall Street Journal--from free play to cozy together time, discover the parenting secrets of the happiest people in the world

What makes Denmark the happiest country in the world--and how do Danish parents raise happy, confident, successful kids, year after year? This upbeat and practical book presents six essential principles, which spell out P-A-R-E-N-T:

Play is essential for development and well-being.
Authenticity fosters trust and an "inner compass."
Reframing helps kids cope with setbacks and look on the bright side.
Empathy allows us to act with kindness toward others.
No ultimatums means no power struggles, lines in the sand, or resentment.
Togetherness is a way to celebrate family time, on special occasions and every day. The Danes call this hygge--and it's a fun, cozy way to foster closeness. Preparing meals together, playing favorite games, and sharing other family traditions are all hygge. (Cell phones, bickering, and complaining are not!)

With illuminating examples and simple yet powerful advice, The Danish Way of Parenting will help parents from all walks of life raise the happiest, most well-adjusted kids in the world.

Editorial Reviews

JANUARY 2017 - AudioFile

An understated urgency gives Kim Mai Guest’s performance a measure of gravitas that is not out of place with this eye-opening audiobook. Yet, aided by her pleasing tone and diction, she also sounds calm and centered as she describes the stark contrasts between Danish parenting and the overstriving practices we see in the U.S. The authors distill Danish parenting values into six principles represented by the acronym P-A-R-E-N-T: play, authenticity, reframing, empathy, no ultimatums, and togetherness. With the main author saying that she started her research because her own maternal instincts were wanting, the discussion benefits from her “beginner’s mind” as well as from Guest’s calm engagement. This essential parenting resource brings us back to basics without sounding simplistic or preachy. T.W. © AudioFile 2017, Portland, Maine

Publishers Weekly

07/04/2016
Originally self-published by Sandahl, a Danish family therapist, and Alexander, an American mother married to a Dane, this cross-cultural parenting manual is a testament to Danish upbringing, which the authors believe is the reason that Denmark, according to studies, is home to “the happiest people in the world.” As depicted here, the Danish parenting style yields impressive results: resilient, emotionally secure children who grow up to parent their own kids in the same way. The authors warn that the “default settings” for Americans parents aren’t always the best choices for fostering happiness. They position the Danish whole-child approach, which emphasizes socialization, autonomy, and self-esteem, as an appealing alternative. With anecdotes from the authors’ childhoods and personal family stories, research from child psychology studies, and advice from parenting experts, the book presents a six-part program, represented by the acronym PARENT: play, authenticity, reframing, empathy, no ultimatums, togetherness. This pithy, practical little volume is the ideal guide for parents seeking to change their child-rearing habits. (Aug.)

From the Publisher

An emotionally smart, gem of a book. The Danish Way offers a shining alternative to high-stress modern parenting, and families from New Delhi to New York will shout with joy. Forget the pursuit of happiness, this book gets to the authentic roots of family happiness. I guess I'm Danish.”
--Heather Shumaker, author of It's OK Not to Share and It's OK to Go Up the Slide
 
"Everyone around the globe can gain something from the valuable wisdom found in this book. Concepts such as reframing and hygge prove useful to families from all cultures. It's wonderful to see that Danish parenting has so much in common with Positive Parenting! I highly recommend this book!"
--Rebecca Eanes, author of Positive Parenting: An Essential Guide
 
"With a profound understanding of the positive impact that empathy and connectedness bring to parenting, The Danish Way empowers parents across the globe to check their own default settings and consider the whole child. Their take on the importance of free play is a breath of fresh air in a time when young children are over-scheduled and under stress. Highly recommended for parents everywhere."
--Katie Hurley, LCSW, author of The Happy Kid Handbook
 
"Having studied the the reasons behind the Danish happiness model for years. I found this book to be a clear-sighted, very useful and smart guide on how to improve your own happiness level as a parent and how to foster happier children the Danish way. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to give themselves and/or their children the best chances of a happy life."
--Malene Rydahl, keynote speaker and Goodwill ambassador of Copenhagen

“I believe in free play. I read this amazing parenting book called The Danish Way of Parenting, which talks so much about free play and how it really develops their mind."
--Kristen Bell, on Parents.com
 

JANUARY 2017 - AudioFile

An understated urgency gives Kim Mai Guest’s performance a measure of gravitas that is not out of place with this eye-opening audiobook. Yet, aided by her pleasing tone and diction, she also sounds calm and centered as she describes the stark contrasts between Danish parenting and the overstriving practices we see in the U.S. The authors distill Danish parenting values into six principles represented by the acronym P-A-R-E-N-T: play, authenticity, reframing, empathy, no ultimatums, and togetherness. With the main author saying that she started her research because her own maternal instincts were wanting, the discussion benefits from her “beginner’s mind” as well as from Guest’s calm engagement. This essential parenting resource brings us back to basics without sounding simplistic or preachy. T.W. © AudioFile 2017, Portland, Maine

Product Details

BN ID:	2940169323467
Publisher:	Penguin Random House
Publication date:	08/09/2016
Edition description:	Unabridged

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Excerpted from "The Danish Way of Parenting"
by .
Copyright © 2016 Jessica Joelle Alexander.
Excerpted by permission of Penguin Publishing Group.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.

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