In 2013, a UNICEF report rated Dutch children the happiest in the world. According to researchers, Dutch kids are ahead of their peers in childhood well-being when compared with 29 of the world's richest industrialized countries. The categories tracked included material well-being, health and safety, education, behaviors and risks, and housing and environment. The U.S. ranked 26th, just above Lithuania, Latvia, and Romania, the three poorest counties in the survey.
This enlightening paperback is by Rina Mae Acosta, an American, and Michele Hutchinson, a Brit. They are both married to Dutchmen and are raising their kids in the Netherlands. The authors list things that set Dutch children apart:
- Dutch babies get more sleep.
- Dutch children have little or no homework.
- They are not just seen but also heard.
- They are trusted to ride bikes to school on their own.
- They are allowed to play outside unsupervised.
- They have regular family meals.
- They get to spend more time with their mothers and fathers.
- They enjoy simple pleasures.
Other factors which explain the happiness of Dutch children are explained at length: stress-free schooling, the work and life balance of their parents, an authoritative parenting style, and an emphasis on simplicity as a hallmark of Dutch living.
