The 164-year-old Swedish secret to raising happy and resilient kids, says parenting expert and mom

Growing up in Sweden, my parents always encouraged me to get outside as much as possible — rain, snow or shine. This was largely driven by “friluftsliv,” a Scandinavian word that roughly translates to “open-air life.”

The 164-year-old concept of Friluftsliv is all about embracing nature, and it is a big part of Swedish culture. When my kids were young, I would let them climb rocks and trees, investigate slimy critters, dig holes and play without adult intervention, just like I did.