Parenting Tips From Around the World

1 Polynesian Islands Let Children Raise Each Other

Image Source: Unsplash / Jenn Evelyn-Ann

It's common practice in Polynesia to let children be raised by elder siblings and cousins. In a Montessori-like setup, older children learn to nurture by helping younger children, who then learn self-sufficiency at a much younger age.

1 / 10

2 Italy Doesn't Impose Sleep Schedules

Image Source: Pexels / mohamed taher

Italians don't have a word for bedtime because children aren't required to ever go to bed at a set time. What?!

2 / 10

3 Finland Doesn't Care For Standardized Testing

Image Source: Pexel / Pixabay

Not only do children start school at the ripe old age of 7, but standardized tests and homework aren't the norm.

3 / 10

4 India Loves Cosleeping

Image Source: Pexels / Pixabay

In India, most children don't get their own rooms until they're at least 5 years old. Cosleeping is considered an important part of a child's development.

4 / 10

5 Japan Gives Independence

Image Source: Stocksnap / Craig Whitehead

Children as young as 5 can be seen taking the bus and subway trains in one of the world's safest countries to live in. Because of this, kids are usually given a lot of independence to navigate freely in their world.

5 / 10

6 France Offers a Culinary Experiene

Image Source: Pexels / Pixabay

France has a strong food culture, and it shows through their parenting techniques. Children always eat with adults, and picky eaters are never catered to.

6 / 10

7 Germany Combats Future Drug Addictions

Image Source: Unsplash / Jelleke Vanooteghem

In German kindergartens (which go for three years starting at age 3), it's a trend to ban toys, board games, and art supplies. The logic behind this is that when children aren't distracted by playing with inanimate objects, they will cultivate more critical thinking skills, which can help them refrain from drug addiction in adulthood.

7 / 10

8 Korea Lets Kids Go Hungry Every So Often

Image Source: Flickr user Hannah Yoon

In Korea, it's considered a life skill to manage hunger, so children are taught to control it. Oftentimes, kids will have to wait for the whole family to eat together, and there's no concept of snacking.

8 / 10

9 Vietnam Potty-Trains Early

Image Source: Unsplash / Janko Ferlič

Vietnamese parents start potty-training their children as early as 1 month old in order to have them fully potty-trained at nine months. They use whistles and look for cues to help train their infants with Pavlov's classical conditioning model.

9 / 10

10 Norway Loves the Outdoors

Image Source: Unsplash / Annie Spratt

It's common practice in Norway to let infants (as young as 2 weeks old) nap outside, even in subzero temperatures. Scandinavian countries in general seem to love the outdoors, and Finland offers an average of 75 minutes of recess per day to children, compared to America's 27 minutes.

10 / 10