my non-Norwegianness

Sometimes I totally recognize myself in this here Norwegian culture - like when someone who is supposed to arrive for a meeting calls to let me know they will be a couple (and that is literally a couple) minutes late. The expectancy of being on time (not early, not late) is huge here.

Then there are times that I totally don't. I was almost flabbergasted when my long-time child-hood friend (who just happens to be the most awesome, inspiring, how-everyone-should-get-to-experience-communal-care kindergarten educarer) told me how the children are placed in their strollers, which are then placed outside, for their afternoon naps - during the winter as well. This is because breathing cool, fresh air when you sleep is super good for you. That I get. But I was still a little bit drop-jawed when I heard about it.

For one, how the kid can be placed in the stroller and then peacefully fall asleep is totally foreign for me, as Leona was super far from that kind of kid (I know it's all about what you get used to, but I just don't see it being possible for her from when she was tiny unless we had accepted a lot of crying, something I am not comfortable with).

But it doesn't stop there. If a parent is out with their baby (in a stroller) and the baby falls asleep, the stroller will be left outside the restaurant or café or store door - as long as the parent can keep an eye on it through the window. This is not only totally acceptable, it is in fact expected. I was told by my co-worker that if she is in a café and she sees a baby in a stroller in there she gets fully annoyed about the space-hogging and lack of consideration towards others. Wow.

And it keeps going. It is common to have the same kind of nap-scenario at home too, on your balcony our outside your door - and most shockingly of all (to me and Judge) is how our ground-floor 'neighbors' in our apartment complex follows this habit so severely that if it is raining, instead of placing the stroller on their balcony (which is also ground-floor and super accessible to passerby's), they pace the stroller on the mezzanine - in complete un-view of themselves as they are inside behind the closed door:

The thing is, no-one is concerned for the childrens' safety here - that's how safe society has been. Not worried a dog will come and make mischief as dogs are always on a leash or with their owner close by. Not worried someone will walk off with their baby. Not worried a druggy or drunky will come by and do some kind of harm. Not worried that the baby will freeze during cold days (because really you just dress and bundle them for the weather...easy as that). Just not worried. At all. Mind-boggling.

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