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 wellbeing when compared with 29 of the world’s richest industrialised countries. The United Kingdom came 16th and the United States ranked 26th, just above Lithuania, Latvia and Romania – the three poorest countries in the survey.
[Photo: Daniela Denková/Getty Images]
On January 23rd, 2017 Charlie Sorrel reports on fastcoexist.com why are the children in the Netherlands so much happier? It’s all down to lifestyle and parenting, say a U.K. and a U.S. mother, both of whom are married to Dutchmen and live in Holland.
Read the full UNICEF report below
Child well-being in rich countries A comparative overview (PDF)
The 8 Secrets of Dutch Kids, the Happiest Kids in the World
Why exactly are Dutch kids the happiest in the world? By Rina Mae Acosta here
They raise the world’s happiest children – so is it time you went Dutch?
Writing in the Telegraph on January 7th, 2017 Rina Mae Acosta and Michele Hutchison list the differences between life for Dutch children, and life for kids from their home countries. The differences are startling, but obvious in how they benefit the kids. Both writers also came out with a book on this topic – The Happiest Kids in the World: Bringing up Children the Dutch Way – by Rina Mae Acosta (Author), Michele Hutchison (Author) order the book here.
Working (Part-Time) in the 21st Century
Back in 2010 NYTimes writer Katrin Bennholdec already did research on this topic; “For reasons that blend tradition and modernity, three in four working Dutch women work part time. Female-dominated sectors like health and education operate almost entirely on job-sharing as even childless women and mothers of grown children trade income for time off. That has exacted an enduring price on women’s financial independence.”
Russel Shorto – Going Dutch – How I Learned to Love the European Welfare State
“For 18 months now I’ve been playing the part of the American in Holland, alternately settling into or bristling against the European way of life. Many of the features of that life are enriching. History echoes from every edifice as you move through your day. The bicycle is not a means of recreation but a genuine form of transportation.” Read Russel Shorto’s full article here