If I had known... I would have been born in Sweden!

The spontaneity of this expression perfectly conveys the feeling of relief and instinctive connection children experience when they encounter people who show them respect. For years, Sweden has been a pioneer in education and children's rights. It stands as a model, thanks to an innovative and modern family policy that promotes children’s personal development and provides free healthcare up to the age of 18.

In Pippi's country

In Pippi's country, there is no joking around when it comes to the mistreatment of children; corporal punishment has been clearly banned since the non-violent education law of 1979. By making this stance very clear, Swedish legislators have not only succeeded in changing mindsets by imposing the idea that violence can in no way be an educational method, but they have also eliminated deaths related to abuse. These accounted for 18% of child deaths in 1970, and they dropped to 0% in 2013. In the same responsible spirit, offenders of this law are not prosecuted criminally, which would have been counterproductive according to Swedish authorities; instead, they are heard in civil court and directed towards counselors and other support, training, and assistance programs.

Kindness and Trust: The Keys to Autonomy

Rather than sanctions or punishment, the Swedish prefer kindness and guide their children with trust towards autonomy. They spend time explaining and listening to their children to help them become citizens capable of thinking for themselves and making their own decisions. To better understand the meaning of this Swedish education, I highly recommend watching Marion Cuerq's video dedicated to this subject:

As Marion has rightly understood, this is a fascinating subject but also a crucial question for the society of tomorrow. Education must provide children, the future adult citizens, with the means to develop their own thinking and to question certain behaviors when they lead to a disregard for fundamental rights.
The entire educational system emphasizes argumentation and reflection, another guarantee of dynamism and progress for a human society, but also a step forward toward a more peaceful society.

Marion has an Instagram account that she updates very regularly, and you can follow her here: https://www.instagram.com/marion_cuerq/