The Danish Way of Raising Teens

By: Iben Dissing Sandahl

Narrated by: Gabrielle Glaister

Length: 6 hrs and 57 mins

Publisher's summary

Learn the parenting secrets that make Danish teens the happiest in the world

If you listened to the bestselling The Danish Way of Parenting, you will have already discovered the secret to the happiest children in the world. Here, co-author and psychotherapist Iben Dissing Sandahl will bring to life the Danish upbringing values that form the basis of raising the happiest, healthiest and most well-adjusted teenagers in the world.

From embracing uniqueness and authenticity, to stressing freedom with responsibility and avoiding ultimatums, The Danish Way of Raising Teens uncovers the ten core principles Danes use to raise their teens and steer them through this challenging, yet exciting, phase.

Reassuring and gentle, this book will help you support your child in this formative time, which is often shrouded in worry, to show a way forward that is packed with hope, positivity and enjoyment.

©2023 Iben Dissing Sandahl (P)2023 Hachette Audio UK

A better relationship with your teen

Initially, I didn’t like the narrator nor the slight condescending tone. However, once I got over that I found that I wanted to listen to the advice again. I’m on my third listen. The author doesn’t pretend that the Danes are perfect but she suggests definite ways to improve your relationship with your teen and the rationale behind it. My favourite was the chapter on No Ultimatums. I had always thought ultimatums with your teen should work but in reality it never did although I kept using them. The author tells us why not to use them and how to see the situation differently with your teen instead. Although most of the book had excellent techniques and changed my viewpoint of the relationship between me and my teens, there were a few chapters that were irrelevant to audiences outside Denmark, mainly the chapter on Efterskoles. I skipped over sections on Love Languages and the Effect of Social Media (obviously in every book on teens). However, the book as a whole seemed to help build a proper and better relationship with your teen as opposed to one that’s always one-sided and in conflict. If you have a teen that’s getting you stressed, I highly recommend this audiobook to calm your nerves.

Boring

I didn’t enjoy this book. I’m not sure if this is really how Danish children/teens are raised. It sounded like a lot of reflecting on all the mistakes and trauma of our own lives and how that will affect parenting. That’s pretty much universal.