Nordic Babies Take 'Chilling Out' To A New Level
Language
Reading Level
Listen to Article
If you happen to visit the Nordic countries of Finland, Sweden,Iceland, Norway or Denmark, you may encounter a rather strange sight - Babies napping in their strollers outside homes, daycare centers and coffee shops even, during mid-winter when temperatures are below freezing.
However, this is not because Nordic parents or nannies are negligent caretakers, but because they are strong believers that fresh air, even the freezing kind, is healthy for babies and that providing them with as much of it as possible, makes them less prone to catching colds and other illnesses. Not only that, they maintain that the babies sleep longer and better outside, compared to when they are put to nap in a warm room.
Though this may seem counter-intuitive and even cruel, because parents in most other countries bundle their babies and huddle them into a heated room the minute they see the first flurry of snow, leaving their babies to 'freeze' has been part of the Nordic culture for many generations and, they are sticking to it!
The babies are of course well- bundled and the strollers weatherized so that they do not let the cold air seep in. But the sight is still enough to send shivers down most of our spines. So are these babies healthier than the 'wimpy' ones that are not allowed to get out even during mildly cold weather?
Nobody knows - That's because no extensive research as been done on either theory. And until there is, both sides will staunchly maintain that they are doing the healthier thing - What do you think? Be sure to let us know, by adding your comments below.
Resources: treehugger.com,bbc.co.uk, foxnews.com
Learn Keywords in this Article
482 Comments
- 'nterestingabout 10 yearsy is there a monitor(last pic)? because it is to monitor if the babies get hypothermia(freeze to death by organ shutdown)
- angelmjohnabout 10 yearsthis sounds cruel, but pretty cool at the same time.
- rereabout 10 yearscool
- rozebabout 10 yearsThat looks so cold. I hate cold. Guess what? It's supposed to snow tomorrow in Minnesota. It is going to be an outrage! I believe I will shun mother nature. Has she still not learned her seasons yet?
- happypug12over 9 yearsI love snow! It gives me a reason to get hot cocoa and to sit by the fireplace. Of course, after I finish playing in snow, I am always soo cold that I'm almost frozen!
- wowwyabout 10 yearsoh my gosh
- aller789about 10 yearsthey must freeze out in the cold
- coriabout 10 yearsYikes! I don't think they should do that! Poor babies in the FREEZING cold.
- rozebabout 10 yearsPoor Minnesotans out in the FREEZING COLD. People! It's supposed to snow tomorrow in Minnesota! AUGH!!!
- gap430about 10 yearswow!
- RKKabout 10 yearsI believe this is cruel, but that is just my opinion. I think the baby's are basically left to freeze to death in the cold weather if you don't bundle them up right. I think that would be easier for the baby's to catch a cold or get sick.
- headream100about 10 yearsWouldn't they like, freeze to death?
- gap430about 10 yearsIt's so impossible, I now think they are fake babies
- headream100about 10 yearsMaybe so. We cannot be sure though.