When we moved to Finland two years ago, one of our biggest concerns as parents was how our child would adapt to a new environment. Especially in a country where we didn’t yet speak the language. Fortunately, our experience with Finnish daycare has been nothing short of exceptional. It’s become a foundational part of our family’s life here.

A Warm Welcome into Finnish Early Education
Our child attends a private English-speaking daycare that follows Finland’s core early education values: emotional well-being, social skills, creativity, and independence. From the beginning, the teachers gave our child full attention and support. They also made sure we, as parents, felt welcomed and informed. The emphasis on emotional and sensory development truly stood out. It wasn’t just about learning colors or numbers. It was about learning how to learn, how to express emotions, and how to connect with others.

Simple, everyday skills like cutting paper, throwing a ball, or learning to wait for your turn are taught with care and patience. Social lessons such as how to make friends, control emotions, or express feelings respectfully are naturally embedded into daily routines.

A Multilingual, Multi-Cultural Environment
Although the daycare operates in English, Finnish lessons are included once or twice a week. This blend has helped our child gradually become familiar with the local language while still feeling safe in an English-speaking environment. The classrooms are divided by age, ensuring age-appropriate learning and interaction.

One of the most beautiful things we’ve experienced is how the daycare builds a strong sense of community. Celebrations like birthdays, Friendship Day, Father’s Day breakfast, and Mother’s Day breakfast are cherished moments that bring families together.

Nutrition, Naps, and Nurturing Routines
The daycare provides breakfast, lunch, and afternoon snacks. All meals are included in the monthly fee. And they’re not just about filling stomachs. Each child’s dietary needs and allergies are carefully noted. The weekly menu is displayed in the locker room, which gives us confidence in what our child eats each day.

After lunch, the children take a one-hour nap on bunk beds, helping them recharge for the rest of the day. Beyond the classroom, the daycare occasionally brings them to local parks, libraries, museums, or even the supermarket. These small excursions help kids feel integrated into the wider community.

Communication and Trust
Another thing that really impressed us was the level of communication between parents and educators. We are regularly updated on our child’s progress, behavior, and learning plan. Sometimes this happens during group events, but often it’s one-on-one. These conversations help build a more personal understanding of our child’s development.

Why It Matters
Our experience reflects what Finland strives for in its early education system. Finnish educators believe that:

-Education should reduce social inequality

-All children deserve free or affordable, high-quality early education

-Health care, psychological support, and individualized guidance should be accessible

-Children should learn how to be independent, happy, and socially aware individuals

This philosophy is visible every day in our child’s daycare. From the balanced meals to the emotional support, from the carefully planned curriculum to the joyful outdoor play.

Daycare in Finland isn’t just a service. It’s a meaningful part of a child’s growth. It’s where children learn not only how to read or count, but how to belong. For us, it’s also been a place of trust, community, and reassurance.

Raising a child in a new country can feel overwhelming. But in Finland, we’ve found that early education is not something parents have to do alone. It’s a partnership. And one we’re grateful to be part of.

Further Reading & Resources

• -Early Childhood Education and Care in Finland — Finnish National Agency for Education
• -Education in Finland — Ministry of Education and Culture
• -This is Finland: Why Finland’s schools are so successful
• Infopankki: Daycare and Preschool in Finland
• UNICEF: Finland ranks among the best countries for child well-being
• KELA — Social Security in Finland for Families with Children

#Parenting in Finland
#Finnish Education
#Daycare Experience
#Raising Kids Abroad
#Early Childhood Education
#Life in Finland
#Multilingual Children

Success is peace of mind which is a direct result of self-satisfaction in knowing you did your best to become the best you are capable of becoming.

John Wooden

When we talk about success, we often associate it with achievements, money, wealth, recognition, and fame — none of which guarantee peace of mind. Success is merely about accomplishment — driven by the desire to excel and to satisfy the ego’s need to be the best. However, peace of mind is entirely different and often takes you in the opposite direction. You can either pursue achievement or seek contentment and fulfillment. Choosing the latter means letting go of greed, meeting your needs, and knowing when to stop. On the other hand, the relentless pursuit of success makes you a slave to greed, always craving more. In the chase for success, enough is never enough. But with peace of mind, there is a sense of contentment — you feel fulfilled, tranquil, and at peace.

Recently, I posed the questions, “How do we define success?” and “What does success mean to us?”, and perhaps true success for me looks like,

1. Achieving a regulated nervous system.

Confront the situations that make you most uncomfortable repeatedly until they become familiar. This helps eliminate fear and nervousness. Maintaining a regulated nervous system means remaining balanced and resilient under stress, effectively managing emotions, and approaching challenges with calm and composure.

2. Having genuine connections

Life is about more than just money. If you look around, you’ll find that the most genuine people are those who care about who you are, not what you have or how much you possess.

3. Be kind to yourself

‘What's wrong with me?’

‘I can’t believe I did that again!’

My inner dialogue used to be filled with thoughts like this, and I know I’m not alone. It seems that many of us wrestle with excessive self-criticism. The key to overcoming these feelings is realizing that you deserve compassion and learning to show kindness to yourself.

4. Be able to let go

“Whatever happened in the past belongs in the past. Learn from it, grow, and move on. Don’t let it determine your future.”

B.J. Harvey, Temporary Bliss

5. Not comparing yourself to others

Comparing yourself to others is often an unfair approach. You’ll likely end up looking bad when focusing on someone else’s strengths. Even when comparing similar strengths, there will always be people who are better or worse. This can lead to you emphasizing your own achievements more than necessary, which is rarely appreciated.

6. Knowing your worth

Define yourself in a positive light, creating a vision of your best self and actively proving it through your actions. Recognize your privileges, strengths, and the potential within you. Embrace the belief that you are mentally strong, deserving, and lovable, even if it doesn’t always feel that way. By consistently reinforcing these affirmations and making deliberate efforts, you can train your mind to truly believe in your worth and capabilities.

Everyone’s path to happiness may look different, but it’s important to remember that everyone has the potential to create moments of joy and contentment. While the path might differ, everyone has the ability to cultivate their own moments of joy and satisfaction, no matter their circumstances. The key is to embrace what brings peace and fulfillment to you personally, and to make space for those moments in everyday life.

Nobody warns me about the identity loss in motherhood . I have forgotten who I am. I no longer like my hobbies and have no desire to engage in any of the activities I used to enjoy before having a child. This internal battle was brutal, and the hardest part was that I felt like I couldn’t/shouldn’t share those thoughts with anyone. After all, what kind of mother feels sorrow after the birth of their baby? even though I wasn’t sure I’d ever be myself again. It was a major transition time for me, as it is for many mothers. I felt like everything shifted and nothing felt familiar or comfortable. And while I loved being a mom, I just felt like something was missing. Instead of silencing those feelings, I want to embrace them, and use them on the journey of rediscovering my selves after motherhood. As we try to rediscover ourselves after motherhood, however, we are likely to hit some challenges. Even when we try to set a boundary to take time for ourselves, it’s often intruded upon. But it’s important to think of our space not as a privilege, but as a vital piece of our mental health. We can hold firm to our boundaries and preserve our availability to pursue our passions.

There are 3 elements that make a person not only ‘endurable’ when going through changes, but also able to use difficult times as a momentum to improve the quality of life & elements are: control, commitment & challenge (taken from Kobasa psychology theory: Hardiness). These 3 based on this legit theory. Bring a journal, stationery, laptop/ working device, go to a coffeeshop you like & choose a drink you want, not the cheapest one. Schedule a day to wake up early, dress up (call it a coffee investment) & begin an internal meeting with yourself.

Here is the meeting details:

1. What did you like & dislike about your previous experience? What lesson did you learn from the entire experience?

2. What are you grateful for from this moment & what are your fears? What can you do to feel secure?

3. Write down all the skills, character & qualities of self that are your current strength. Also write the parts of yourself that make you vulnerable & how can you accept it?

4. What area of science/skill would you like to learn and master that potentially become your path to prosperity?

5. What is the definition of success to you? What does an environment look like that makes you feel passionate & empowered?

6. To be honest, without fear of other people’s opinions & money isn’t an issue: what job/ career/business would you actually want to do? Why?

7. What facilities/assets/resources are available in your life & can be used to start learning right now?

8. What bad habit is keeping you stagnant? What are alternative activities/strategies to change this? Who/what neighborhood should you start hanging out with?

9. What is your priority in the near future? How will you consistently process with yourself daily? In what form of activity? Where, what time & how long?

If you find it difficult to answer questions, use art therapy technique (filling the journal while drawing) so that inspiration & honest answers can flow through you. To get wisdom/formula in a field of science, all human beings must go through many ‘trial & fail’ phases first. Untold stress, will make it harder for us to see the way out/possibilities unimaginable before. Answering the questions above, will help you reconnect with your wisdom, desire & creativity again. Studies show life satisfaction scores, proved to be higher in respondents who choose to ‘buy’ experiences over things. The money you spend to save beautiful memories, with yourself/your loved one, will not only increase your life satisfaction, but also give you new meaning & outlook.

So, have you invested in yourself today ?