Raising a child in Denmark is so different from China..

Here (in Denmark), mom and dad are the main caretakers, and people often prefer a natural, sometimes even wild, way of parenting - take them to the forest, teach them how to slaughter a fish, let them eat worms, and encourage them to play without interference - even they might fall off a high climbing structure and hit their heads. It is unimaginable in China, especially for the children of the "only-child" generation, like me. In a typical Chinese family, there are six adults—four grandparents and two parents—looking after one child, trying to remove any potential risks from the child’s life, protecting them like a precious orchid in a glasshouse. If a child gets a fever over 38 degrees - Oh, that is the end of the world - the  grandparents are already rushing to the hospital and asking for antibiotics. 

As a former East Asian kid, I actually like the Danish way. I don’t have to be told what to eat or where to stay—I can just play. And as a parent, it's similar. I don’t need to live with my mom or my husband’s mom, and more freedom and a stronger connection with my son. I want him to grow up free, without feeling suppressed, and always brave enough to explore the world.   Of course, this might come with a price. He might not be able to read Chinese or appreciate the subtle beauty of a Daoist anecdote, or understand Eastern aesthetics. But who knows? He’s a child, and he’s capable of more than I can imagine. I just want him to be happy. ❤️