I don’t have any kids, so I’m probably unqualified to opine on this topic. But every time I’m in Europe, I notice that children seem to have a different relationship with cities and that parents seem to socialize them a little differently. Here’s an example of what I mean by that. Last month, when Neat B and I were in Biarritz, we had a wonderful evening hanging out at this restaurant/bar:
We had just finished our first surf lesson, we were on an endorphin high, and we wanted to be outside to see the sunset. So we sat on the above steps, and we had some food and drink off of a small wooden stool. It was simple and unglamorous; it was perfect.
The place also stayed busy all night and, looking around, there were lots of young kids out. The parents were socializing and doing their thing — including across the street next to the water — and the kids were just playing quietly on their own. It’s as if the city was their own backyard and everyone was just doing what they felt like.
It is something that always strikes me as being different compared to North America. Here, we’ve, in many cases, convinced ourselves that you need a garage and a backyard to properly raise a child. But maybe all that is needed is a concrete step, a small wooden stool, and a more laid-back approach to enjoying what cities have to offer.