Why Are Dutch Kids So Happy When Dutch Adults Aren’t?

Dutch kids are the happiest on earth, but the Netherlands is slipping down the global happiness charts. What goes wrong between the carefree bike years and doomscrolling teen life?​ On this misty school run, we ride through the six “secret ingredients” of Dutch childhood—independence, bikes, low-pressure school, calm routines, community and strong policy—then slam into the teen years, social media, and a government flirting with a ban for under-15s.​Along the way, there’s an Olympic-athlete ex, tall-poppy Dutch sayings about not standing out, a daughter who insists she’s not “one of the happiest kids in the world,” and a conversation about how hard it can be to loosen your grip when you grew up on horror stories about child safety.​ This episode is for anyone wondering what a “happy childhood” really looks like in 2026, and what parents anywhere can borrow—and question—from the Dutch model. #bedtimeroutines #funparenting #schoolrun