One week in... From an American Prespective

It has been one week since we arrived in Sweden and we are settling in nicely.  I think we are pretty much over the jet lag and I am getting use to not doing much all day.  That actually seems to be the hardest part. True I am working, (teaching online, preparing for next year and working on my dissertation proposal) but I can only do so much of that.  

I have found that much of my time is spent chasing my kids around doing my best to keep them from killing themselves, getting kidnapped, run over by cars, falling into a well or other large hole, tumbling down rocks or stairs, eating berries that are marginally poisonous, stepping on sharp rock or shells, getting stung by jelly fish, or getting eaten by some large partially domesticated by feral animal...etc...

ALL THE DANGERS AROUND US!!!

   

Steep Stairs

Trampolines

Crab fishing with no life vests on

Babies who like to run and jump near the water

Slippery rocks, old docks and kids

Guinea pigs who may or may not bite

Pillow fighting on a long pole over the water!!

Very similar to what I do at home.  The only difference is I seem to be more worried than everyone else.  Maybe its because I have a fairly loud “booming” voice that carries for miles...So I’m the only one you hear.   

I know that most here are good parents and their kids are at the top of their priorities...again which is no different than at home.  

Parents at home are bombarded with images of kids being taken, falling into wells...the list can go on.  Here, at least on this island, many of those concerns are just not there.  

We are on a small island with limited places to go.  People tend to walk more than drive and there are no wells to fall into.  Sure there are rock but my kids are actually pretty nimble on them as are most of the kids...much more than I can say for myself.  There are stinging jellyfish and sharp shell, neither are leather and the largest animals on this island that might try to consume a child is an Mink that lives under my mother-in-laws house...I’ve never seen it but, I’m told its there.  

I guess the big question is, can I remove myself from the parental mindset I developed in another culture and relax before I have to go home in five weeks...probably not I’m really stubborn.  

Why is it that my wife is able to let go?  Again we are faced with a two cultural perspectives and the ability (or inability) to switch between cultural paradigms.  Everything I know about parenting, was formed as I grew up in an American Suburb.  People were scared of strangers in a massively heterogeneous society.  The intersection of culture did not always result in integration, people often time maintained their own cultural identities while living and working around other cultural systems.  

As far as I can tell, Swedish society is very homogeneous.  Even if a person is a stranger it is a good chance that you know how they will behave.  People from other places tend to adopt the customs and language of the Swedish people.  This tends to make people more trusting and probably less frantic about the "dangers" of the world.  I can easily see myself moving in that direction if I were to relocate here someday.  

Regardless of where it comes from, I don’t think this part of me will change anything soon.  Although it is my way, and I am intent on protecting my kids from dangers I perceive, I can imaging it being somewhat annoying for those around me...