Constant comparison! That is what it has been like so far, for me at least, as an expat. Now some say comparison is the thief of joy, but I…Just. Can’t. Help it!! Can any expat help it, I wonder? Comparing the price of eggs in Rema against the price of eggs back in a Tesco in London; comparing the openness of English “banter” with the relatively closed-off, seemingly introverted Dane; comparing how my kids were schooled, from age 4 (!), in the UK with the socially, well-rounded characteristics of a 5 year old that hasn’t even started school in Denmark!!! And this is the focus of my column today….kids in Denmark! Why is it that Denmark places such an importance on children, their wellbeing and their education and what that means for the future of an expat child in Denmark? In England, at least, Danes and their kids were always fairly popular in the news!
To look into the future, we need to examine Denmark’s history. According to research, including studies from “Statistics Denmark,” as early as the 1920/30s, Denmark opened public kindergartens because they recognised the importance of early childhood education. While many other countries did the same, Denmark significantly expanded its family policies after World War II, unlike most other countries. This investment into Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) has made Denmark a global benchmark for its comprehensive and inclusive approach to ECCE.
However, is it REALLY inclusive? Does this only apply to native Danes with Danish-speaking children? The article “Denmark is a brutal class society” in Last Week In Denmark made me think about how this affects expat children in school. Danish kids consistently report high levels of social well-being at school, 89% of kids actually! However, this has dropped since previous years and isn’t significantly higher than children in England (80%). There’s more to unpack here, but my experience tells me that expat kids in Denmark can look forward to a high level of independence, a greater sense of freedom, and a chance to know themselves without early academic pressure. Is this the best way? Maybe. Should this be the way for all kids? I don’t think so. But Denmark seems to be changing. Denmark needs internationals for the future, so I hope the philosophy applied after World War II will expand again, ensuring systems and policies are inclusive of ALL children, from ALL backgrounds.
