What Spain Gets Right About Raising Kids

Raising kids in Spain has made me see childhood very differently. 🇪🇸 Lately, I’ve been thinking about how normal childhood feels here: kids walking, sitting at cafés, being part of adult life, going to restaurants, playing outside, waiting, observing, and simply existing in public spaces. When I compare that to what I see and hear from the U.S., I notice how much childhood can feel surrounded by stimulation: screens, tablets, video games, sugar, noise, constant entertainment, and pressure to keep kids busy all the time. In this video, I’m sharing what I think Spain gets right about raising kids — and how it’s changing me as a mother. This is not about being a perfect parent. I’m not. It’s about questioning what children actually need, what we are normalizing, and how much of our parenting is shaped by our own discomfort. As a therapist and mom living in Madrid, I’m starting to see that child development happens in the ordinary moments too: walking, waiting, listening, playing, watching, talking, and being included in real life. I’d love to know what you think. Does childhood feel overstimulated where you live? Timestamps 00:00 — Why childhood feels more normal in Spain 🇪🇸 01:29 — What I notice about kids in Spain 03:40 — Mom competition in Miami vs. Spain 04:21 — Why presence is quieter but more grounding 07:20 — The research on screen exposure 📱 09:28 — How child development happens in ordinary life 10:23 — What do you think? Topics in this video Raising kids in Spain, motherhood in Madrid, parenting abroad, American childhood, overstimulated children, screens and kids, simple childhood, expat mom life, inner work motherhood, child development, parenting culture, life in Spain with kids. #RaisingKidsInSpain #MotherhoodInSpain #ExpatMom #MadridWithKids #ParentingAbroad #InnerWork #Motherhood #ChildDevelopment #SimpleChildhood #SpainLife