UNICEF Study Show US Kids Way Down on Happiness Scale — Dave’s Diary

What’s going on with our kids? The United States ranked at the bottom of a UNICEF study for child well-being. That’s us!  USA! USA?  Apparently n

ot so much!

Across 21 industrial countries, Americans beat only the British for well being. The study examined six categories, including material well-being, family and peer relationships, health and safety, behavior and risks, and children's own sense of well-being.

Both the US and the UK were in the bottom third of the rankings for five of the six categories. European countries dominated the top half of the list, with the Netherlands, Sweden, Denmark and Finland claiming the top four places. What is it about Scandinavia that’s so fun?  Have you eaten lutefisk?  Have you spent a winter in Finland?  Have you seen the Swedish Bikini team? Ok, not that one but come on!

One possibility is time.  According to the BBC, many of those cultures including the Dutch society focuses heavily on its children and most mothers either stepping away from their careers in order to take care of their families or taking a long time off after their children are born. (Yahoo)