Being young in Denmark
Relationships:
In Denmark in the kindergarten we already make small love life relationships. There we play mom, dad and children, kissing for fun on the cheeks and having a good time doing everyday stuff as making food, sleeping etc.
When we get older, by the age of 7-9, boys and girls kind of “hate” each other. In that childish way, like saying “you have boy lice!” or you have “You have girl lice!” And that keeps going on till about the age of 13-14.
When boys and girls become at the age of 13-14 we begin to get interested in each other and then there begin to have serious relationships with kissing each other. When we become 16-17 of years there are some that begin to have sex and more romantic things begin to happen. Go canoeing on a river, to the movies, make dinner for each other etc..
Basically relationships are based on trust to each other and same interests. In most relationships here in Denmark depends on besides trust also on respect. Both genders are equal.
Spare time activities:
Most Danish youth have a sport or hobby they go to in there spare time. There is all kind of activities, everything for martial arts to drawing. They use also their spare time with friends were they hang out, talk, go to the movies, shop etc..
Some also sit at home and game computer, and use that as entertainment. And others just do sport day in and day out. There is also kind of hot websites the Danish youth use al lot, like facebook. Almost all young people have a profile. Some can use hours on this webpage.
In the weekends some young people party, play drinking games and get drunk. The parties are mostly held by one host who has great speakers and then they turn up the music to the
maximum volume.
Friendships:
As in relationship, friendships are also based on trust, respect and somehow same interests. Here in Denmark, we have a lot of sarcasm so we use it in everyday life with each other. Especially the youth uses it. Like when someone has dropped a glass bowl and It shatters in too many pieces, another person would say: “good job” with a smile on his or hers face.
In friendships here in Denmark you can make fun of each other, without mentally hurting. But friends in Denmark do many things together. Go shopping, swim, play games, party, go to the movies etc.. Most Danish youth have about 5 friends in there near area. It is common that boys and girls are friends.
Philip Lund
Skals Continuation School
Interest/Activities of Danish youth
In Denmark the youth culture is very open. The most common phrase among the young peoples parents is: Freedom under responsibility. That means that the young people can do whatever they want, but they always have to consider the consequences.
Examples:
1. Socializing with your friends: Talking, listening to music, go to the movies, playing games, surfing the internet
2. Party: Drinking, dancing, having fun, meet other people
3. Hobbies: Sports: Soccer, Handball, Swimming, American football, Tennis, Ping Pong, Basketball, Gymnastics
Challenges of the Danish youth - Peer Pressure
In Denmark Peer Pressure is a very big problem. Many teenagers in Denmark are having problems with Peer Pressure for example at parties. Some teenagers are being pressured to drink, smoke or even do drugs. In Denmark drugs are strictly illegal. In Denmark the drinking age is 16 years, so that might be one of the reasons why we are the most drinking youth culture in the world.
Family
In Denmark the family is one of the most important things in their everyday life. In Denmark there is no gender discrimination, the mother is as equal as the father in the relationship. When the dinner is on, the whole family sits around a table and eats together while talking about their day.
Daniel T. HansenSkals Continuation School
Discipline in Denmark
In Denmark, we do not look on discipline like in many other countries. It isn’t so important to us, but that can sometimes be a problem. Especially teenagers don’t always respect if they’re parents tell them not to drink alcohol; there will always be someone who won’t listen.
But of course we respect each other. We just show our respect in different ways, like the way we respect other people’s opinion: in Denmark you have the right to say what you want, to express your opinion in a lot of ways – if just you remember to respect other people.
For example, when we greet our parents – or any other adults – we just say hi. We don’t call them ‘Mrs.’ or ‘Sir’ or anything, we just talk to them almost like they were at our age.
At home, ‘Daddy’ still has big authority. But it’s not like the mother doesn’t have as much authority as the father, it’s just because the mother almost in every family use to be the most emotional parent, where the father do the scolding part. But in Demark, parents can’t hit their children to make discipline. Teachers can’t do it either, because it isn’t legal*. Children have the right to feel save in their home and school, and so the adults can get to prison if they hit anyone. Discipline in Denmark is not about violence, but more about laws. If for example you attack someone, or hit someone seriously, you can get a ruling, or a ticket.
In school, discipline is also very important. Even though the teachers can’t hit the children, there is still so many ways of making discipline in class. If the kids don’t behave, the teacher can scold them, sometimes a detention or if it’s really bad, they can get expelled.
*The Danish law says that no one can hit each other, which means that the teacher or husband (or wife) is not allowed to hit one another.
In 'Universal Declaration of Human Rights' there are laws about Civil and political rights and social, economic and cultural rights, and over a 100 countries have signed it.
The civil and the political rights have points like:
- Freedom to have your own opinion, believe in what you want and to express yourself.
- Privacy.
The social, economic and cultural rights have points like:
- Medical help.
- Rights for education.
By
Amalie Lykkeskov, Nina Lykke Sørensen
Social life
It is very easy to be social in Denmark, because we have a lot of aftershcool activities.
Every small, or big town, have a sport community. In that community, theres a lot of activities, like football, you guys might call it soccer? Then theres is handball. We don´t know if you guys know what that is? Very short, it´s a game with two teams. Actually it´s a lot like football, but the big difference is that you use your hands instead of the feets. You can also play rocketball, or tennis. Those sports are the most average you play, when you live in Denmark.
In school days danish youth don´t have very much time to do all kind of fun stuff. But in the weekends we love to party, or go to the movietheatres. Or mainly just hang out with our friends. If you are low on cash, many young people have a sparetime job, beside the shcool.
All in all we are very social, but we don´t have a big urge to do all kind of fancy stuff together. Sitting with the friends and listen to music, or watch a movie, is enough.
Eisbjerghus Efterskole.
Made by; Simone Madsen, Thomas Petersen and Patrick Bergmann
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