Thank you for my earc of this book. As a soon to be FTM I found this really interesting but also just to have insight to other cultures and countries.
I think this is one I’ll pick up again and read parts from when I want to, I really enjoyed it.

I enjoyed Russell's 'The Year of Living Danishly' and so was pleased to be granted an eARC of 'How to Raise a Viking'. I'm really intrigued about the Danish/Nordic/Scandi way of life and loved Russell's chatty and self-deprecating wander through her experiences of (firstly) living Danishly and (now) raising Viking children.

This book picks up a good few years after 'The Year of Living Danishly'. Russell's husband's job at Lego - initially anticipated as a short-term one or two year stay in Denmark - has become more permanent and three children have since arrived in the Russell family home. This is Russell's experience of having and raising those children in Denmark, from navigating the births, the weather, the childcare systems, the schooling and lots of other things.

This is a witty and lively account of early motherhood with the added complication of trying to do things the Danish way. For the most part, the Danish way seems brilliant to those of us who have handed over vast sums of money (easily the equivalent of a monthly mortgage payment or more) to childcare providers in the UK - yes, taxes are high in Denmark, but quality childcare costs are low and supporting working parents the norm. Indeed, a lot of the Danish way seems quite refreshing - lots of time for children to play, starting formal school at an older age than in the UK, liberal attitudes, lots of childhood independence and lots of outdoor walks in sensible clothes!

However, it doesn't present a Viking childhood as an absolute ideal. While there's lots that's excellent, there are some issues around teen drinking and over-use of technology that grounds the book in reality - there is no one perfect way to raise kids, so let's pinch some bits the Danes get right and work on the rest. To a UK mum, there are also some startling health and safety approaches in the childcare settings, but that's probably just what I'm used to!

As I mentioned, it isn't a purely Danish childhood that Russell is exploring - although she lives in Denmark, she widens the scope to a Nordic/Scandi/Viking approach so there are lots of snippets of information about Iceland, Sweden, Finland and Norway too. This provides some rich cultural details, especially in the final bonus chapter where we read about all the various festivals in the different countries - or all the excuses to eat cake, as Russell thinks of them!

This is an enjoyable and interesting look at a different way of life, and one that we could learn a lot from in the UK.

That’s it. I’m moving to Denmark or any of the other Nordic countries. Seriously, though, I dare any parent to read this book and not feel the same.

These countries’ approach to parenting and raising children makes so much sense that I genuinely don’t know why we don’t all follow suit. Right. Now. The freedom, the responsibility, and the general respect given to children should be the basis of any relationship between children and their caretakers. Where caretakers should not only be their parents and educators but also the broader community.

It's basically a Montessori-aligned education without the enormous price tag.

The book has a lot of information, relayed in a clear and factual style but with plenty of first-hand anecdotes and personal observations told with self-deprecating humour. What I also liked about it is that it doesn’t shy away from reporting on the less idyllic aspects of raising children Viking-style, offering therefore a balanced view.

I read Russell's A Year of Living Danishly years ago and absolutely loved it , it is a book I have recommended widely over the years.

I was delighted to get the opportunity to read How To Raise A Viking, a decade later and Helen Russell is still in Denmark and now raising three small vikings. This experience of raising children in Denmark has led to this book and what an informative and entertaining read it is.

I love Russell's writing style- sharp, entertaining, informative and full of wit and heart. The book takes a deep dive into the parenting culture of Denmark and all the Nordic nations, with examples, research , anecdotes and evidence from all five countries. Parenting is very very different for our Northern European neighbours compared to parenting here In Ireland . I knew elements of the different styles, culture and polices that enable this but it was great to learn more. From parental leave policies and subsidised childcare to , customs and culture, I wish this book was available 15 years ago, it would have greatly encouraged me to uproot my Irish babies and raise them as Vikings, to be honest.

A great read, recommend to all but especially to parents of younger children, there is lots of wisdom in these pages that could be adapted to raising children in other countries.

I have read and very much enjoyed Helen's previous books and this one was also excellent. Meticulously researched, fascinating and also very funny, Helen has a brilliant writing style and a great way of conveying information that could easily be less interesting in other writers' hands. I've been a parent for almost two decades but still learned loads in this informative parenting book. Recommended reading, even for non parents.

'How to Raise a Viking' by Helen Russell is a bright, balanced look at how parenting in 'Viking countries' differ from Russell's UK upbringing.

I was very happy to see Russell carefully differentiate the Nordic countries and spend time explaining how each differs from the other, even when the differences seem small the nuance and use of both UK and US statistics made the book seem much larger than her own lived experience. I also appreciated the slightly self-deprecating and unconvinced tone that she uses; rather than 'everyone should do it like this!' Russell points out the positives and negatives in the culture that she's living in.

'How to Raise a Viking' is a balanced look at how another culture gets on with raising its children. Whether they are right or wrong about certain things is less relevant than seeing that what you think is normal doesn't have to be and I've already bookmarked several pages for later re-reading.

The book i wish had been available when my children were little !! A wonderful inspiring book about raising children the Danish way .Now i can put some new ideas into helping my grand children .