‘Living in Norway changed how I think about childhood’: Man compares kids in India and Norway

An X user has shared how living in Norway changed his perspective on childhood, drawing comparisons between how young children grow up there and in India. His post reflected on the role of nature, play and curiosity in early learning, while questioning whether children in India face academic pressure too soon.A man compares childhood experiences in India and Norway. (Representative Image)The post was shared X user Vinod, who described how Norway’s approach to raising children had changed the way he thinks about their wellbeing.He wrote, “Living in Norway has quietly changed the way I think about children and their wellbeing. In Norway, kindergarten isn’t seen as a place to get ahead academically. It’s where children learn to become children.”According to him, children there spend hours outdoors throughout the year, exploring forests, mountains and other natural spaces. He said they learn practical life skills climbing rocks, playing in the mud, building things with their hands, caring for nature, solving disagreements and becoming independent.”Reading and writing will come. Childhood won’t,” he wrote.(Also Read: Meet the IIT Kanpur-educated founder who made $8 million in a single day)Vinod then contrasted this with what he observed after returning to India. He said many children, some barely three years old, were already carrying school bags, tracing letters, counting numbers and completing worksheets.”It feels like they’re already being prepared for the next class instead of simply being children. I just sat there watching them. My eyes filled with tears,” he wrote.He ended the post asking, “Maybe the first lessons in life shouldn’t be ABC or 123. Maybe they should be confidence, kindness, resilience, curiosity and the joy of simply being a child. What kind of childhood do you think every child deserves?”Take a look:Internet weighs inMany users agreed with Vinod’s observations, while others felt parenting plays a bigger role than the education system.One user commented, “Spot on, Vinod. Norway’s nature-filled kindergartens let kids truly be children and build real resilience, while India’s early worksheets trade precious childhood for marginal academic gains.”Another wrote, “Indian kids are busy watching mobile phones and scrolling through reels. They’re slowly losing their childhood. We, the ’90s and 2000s kids, truly enjoyed our childhood with nature and outdoor games, things this generation doesn’t even know.”(Also Read: ‘It’s not the college, it’s what you do’: Student shares friend’s inspiring journey after missing IIT)A third user said, “It’s all about parenting, I would say.”Another simply remarked, “Indian kids have lost their childhood.”The post prompted many to reflect on whether early academic success should take priority over play, curiosity and emotional growth during a child’s formative years.(Disclaimer: This report is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.)