The 1000 Hours Outside Podcast 1KHO 466: Why the Happiest Kids in the World Just Play | Jessica Joelle Alexander, The Danish Way of Parenting
What if parenting didn’t have to be so complicated? In this powerful episode of The 1000 Hours Outside Podcast, Ginny Yurich sits down with Jessica Joelle Alexander, author of the bestselling book The Danish Way of Parenting, to uncover why Danish children are consistently ranked among the happiest in the world. Jessica shares what she’s learned from marrying into Danish culture and raising her own kids with radically different values—where play is considered essential, screens are secondary, and resilience is built through freedom, not pressure.
Together, Ginny and Jessica explore why free play is the real foundation for emotional strength, social skills, and future success. They dig into how parenting culture in the U.S. has drifted toward control and performance—and how it’s quietly fueling anxiety in both kids and adults. From forest schools and risky play to the overlooked power of hygge and sadness in children’s stories, this conversation offers a life-giving alternative to the parenting pressure cooker.
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Learn more about Jessica and all she has to offer here
Get your copy of The Danish Way of Parenting here
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