In Denmark, raising a child seems to be less of an obstacle course and more of a trust contract. In an article published by Business Insider, Olivia Liveng, an American living in Copenhagen, shares her experience as an expatriate and describes a model that differs from the parental norms in the United States.
Coming from New York after meeting her Danish husband, she now resides in the capital, ranked first in the Happy City Index 2025, where she raises their son, Aksel. The contrast is stark.
“Raising my son in Denmark has shown me a very different parental culture. Trust, affordable childcare services, and community shape daily family life here. Being a parent seems less stressful and more collective than in the United States.”
The first cultural shock: the autonomy given to children. One day, she finds out that the daycare took her one-year-old son on an outing without prior permission. Later, through the school app, she receives photos of Aksel “taking the metro or exploring Rosenborg Castle during school hours, all without my prior knowledge.” Unthinkable in Connecticut, where she grew up, marked by a “sue culture” that extends legal responsibility over safety.
The public space in Denmark is designed for families. Olivia Liveng mentions breastfeeding rooms in shopping centers, including in men’s bathrooms, restaurants equipped with play areas, and a city planned for everyone to reach a beach or park within fifteen minutes.
“In Denmark, public spaces actively adapt to families, reducing stress by meeting children’s needs without the need for explanation.”
The collective care is evident in subsidized and centralized childcare.
“There are far fewer stay-at-home parents in Denmark because childcare is considered a public good, something that families are supposed to need rather than justify.”
Result: even executives pick up their children around 4 pm.
Finally, the approach to risk is different. Danish playgrounds, as her mother’s group says, come with “a touch of danger.” At daycare, children use tools and learn by doing. “What seemed like a lack of parental control in Denmark was actually just an expression of trust in educators, institutions, and, of course, the children themselves.”
“Denmark is not perfect, and being a parent as an expatriate has its own challenges,” concedes Olivia Liveng. However, over the years, this American has traded constant vigilance for shared trust.
