We are a family of 6 consisting of mom Hanne 46 head teacher, dad, Simon 52 teacher, Jack 22 student, Megan 18 student, Tom 15 student and Ben 8. We live on a small, quiet and fairly remote island in the North of Denmark. Our son Jack now studies English at the university but visits often, Megan has just graduated, A-levels and this autumn she will be inter railing around Europe with a friend. Tom, we have managed to save up and are now sending him to a local boarding school where he will learn more to do with his interests engineering, music and storytelling. Ben will carry on at the local school where both his parents currently work :).We have a lot of interests; nature, music, writing, building things, drawing, talking and being together with friends and family, watching Netflix series together, pets, gardening art etc.
Ben, Tom, Megan, Hanne and Simon
What kind of toys does your kid like to play with?
Lego, Ipads, magnets, drawing, building dens, trampoline, biking, building sand castles, playing with pets etc.
What are the local snacks for kids?
A mixture of fruits, nuts and fx cucumber-always fruit available in the kitchen plus cookies, sweets, crisps. (We have access to both unhealthy and healthy food with success.)
Do you cook for children?
Yes. We cook. We usually cook for two evenings at a time. Some evenings we make it easy with just a sandwich etc. (We work a lot).
What are the roles of parents in your country? What duties do belong to mother and to father?
It varies from family to family. In our family we help each other with everything. Cleaning cars, cooking, gardening, washing clothes, cleaning etc. And kids help if they can. We have never had a problem with getting the kids to help a little bit every day. Fx carry own plate out, feed the cats (Ben). Our bigger kids help more.
Can you explain how maternity leave works in Denmark? How long is it? Can you get back to work after it without any obstacles?
It works fine in Denmark. In total, parents in Denmark get 52 weeks of paid parental leave. The general rule is that the mother has the right to four weeks of leave directly before the planned birth and then to a further 14 weeks of leave after birth. The father is entitled to take two weeks of leave during the first fourteen weeks after the birth of the child. Then 32 weeks follow where the mother and father can freely share leave between them. They can choose to be on parental leave at the same time or in periods one after the other. It is still most common that the mother takes the most of the leave… In my family I have taken half a year and then gone back to work and my husband has taken the rest for 3 out of 4 kids combining it with building rooms/renovations of our home. We have had an Au-pair for Ben for 8 months. But: every family is different in Denmark.
Au-Pair (in French it means “equal” or “to pair”) is one of the most popular ways to spend gap year, but you can also be an Au-pair for only the holiday period. It is a cultural exchange program during which the participant goes abroad and lives with the host family. Typically, Au-pairs take on a share of the family’s responsibility for childcare as well as some housework.
Does the country help families with kids?
The government support kindergartens so that they do not have to ask the full price from the parents. Under a certain income it becomes free to send your children to kindergarten, therefore both parents can work.
Do you vaccinate your children? If so, against what? Is it mandatory to vaccinate kids?
It is not mandatory. We try to follow the program.
Is it safe to travel with a child in Denmark? What to watch out for?
Yes, it is very safe! And small children still sleep outside their homes and shops in prams! We live in a very safe country where we trust each other if you ask me
