30 Things American Parents Do That Would Shock the Rest of the World

When you grow up a certain way, it's easy to assume that other people were raised like you were—and are now bringing up their own kids the same way you are. Not so much. In fact, people around the world look at some American parenting habits and think, "Whoa. So that's how they do it." Here are just a few American parenting practices that the rest of the world probably finds strange.

If there's a baby in an American household, there's usually a baby walker to help them learn how to get comfortable standing. Canadians would be shocked at the sight, though: Walkers were actually banned in the country in 2004 after the Consumer Products Safety Commission found they cause more injuries than any other children's product and may delay motor and mental development. Canadians can actually be fined or jailed just for having one in their home.

In America, families feel like they need a ton of space to fit everyone, while many people outside of the country opt for more compact sedans.

Parents in the U.S. go through tons of disposable diapers, which not only cost a lot of money, but also create 3.5 million tons of landfill waste every year. That's definitely not the norm in other parts of the world. In some places, babies don't wear diapers at all. Instead, parents observe their babies for signs it's time to go and then hold them over the toilet, thereby potty-training them at a young age.

American parents tend to put their kids to bed early—because little ones need their sleep and parents need some alone time—but that's not exactly the case in other countries. In Spain, for instance, parents focus on social and interpersonal development, and that means letting kids stay up late—until 10 p.m., most nights—to interact with the rest of the family and participate in evening activities, whatever they may be.

It's no secret that Americans love to eat. In fact, the U.S. has the highest per capita calorie consumption in the world. Unfortunately, giant meals start at a young age, putting American kids at a much higher risk of obesity than kids who eat smaller portion sizes in other parts of the globe.

A survey by the Motion Picture Association of America found that 80% of American parents are more concerned with their children seeing sex in movies and T.V. shows than they are about them seeing graphic violence.

Children who show signs of Attention Deficit Disorder, or its counterpart, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, are often prescribed medication outright. In fact, they're 10 times more likely to be prescribed meds for the disorder than kids in the U.K.

When it comes to fast food consumption, Americans win by a landslide. The U.S. eats so much that 1 in 4 people say they have it on the daily, and that doesn't seem likely to change anytime soon. According to a 2017 report, the fast food industry is showing even more growth than the U.S. economy as a whole.

Paid parental leave for both mothers and fathers is the norm in countries like France and Sweden. But not in the U.S.: In fact, the United States is one of just a few countries in the United Nations that doesn't make employers provide paid leave to new parents. Just to give you a sense of how good moms and dads in other countries have it, in Belgium, each parent is entitled to four months paid leave, and in Austria, which offers paid leave until a child is two years old, moms and dads actually get a bonus if they both take turns staying home.

Dogs and cats are by far the most popular family pets in America, but not so much in other countries. In China, the most popular are goldfish, while bunnies reign supreme in Japan, and tortoises are the go-to in Taiwan.

A 2017 study published in the journal Pediatrics found that nearly 1,300 American children die every year from gun-related injuries, making it the third-leading cause of death for kids in the U.S.

Accepting that your kid is going to have temper tantrums from time to time is one thing. But kids in the U.S. often feel free to speak their minds when they're angry or have done something wrong—something parents in parts of Asia would never see as acceptable behavior. Starting from a very young age, Korean children, for example, are almost immediately taught that their parents are the boss, not the other way around.

Those pre-packaged meals may come with a price. Several common food additives used in the U.S., including brominated vegetable oil (BVO), some food colorings, butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), and butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), are listed as possible carcinogens and are banned in other countries.

In Japan, children as young as four are allowed to walk to school, ride public transportation, and run errands all by themselves. In Iceland and Denmark, parents are in the habit of leaving their kids outside in their strollers while they do the shopping.

In America, teachers say it's common for parents to take their child's side, believing them over the adult when it comes to reports of bad behavior. That probably isn't the norm in countries like China and Greece, where teachers are incredibly respected by both parents and students.

In the U.S., parents gush over their babies from the second they're born. According to traditional parenting practices among the Kisii people of Kenya, parents don't make eye contact with their newborns or give in to their cries in order to establish their authority early on.

Trick-or-treating is common around the world, but kids in the U.S. have it much easier than others. Instead of just knocking and getting candy, children in Germany carry lanterns door-to-door singing songs for goodies and kids in Finland give crafts that keep away evil spirits in return for treats.

Americans love having straight, white teeth—so much so that they make it a priority from a young age. Affluent parents shell out thousands for orthodontia for their kids, sometimes before they even have all their adult teeth. This obsession doesn't extend to the rest of the world. In the U.K., for instance, children under 18 are given free braces through the National Health Service if they need them but are still relatively unlikely to get them.

Baby showers aren't really a thing outside the U.S. In fact, in some parts of the world, including Japan and Russia, it's considered bad luck to celebrate a baby before its birth.

In America, kids tend to be a little spoiled: In 2015, parents spent an average of $500 per child on toys alone. In comparison, parents spent an average of $9 on toys per child in India, $50 in Brazil, and $52 in China.

Is a birthday in the U.S. even a birthday without an epic party? Americans tend to go overboard for their kids' parties and can spend hundreds, or even thousands, of dollars on a single event. Traditions elsewhere are a lot less elaborate and revolve more around family and food than fancy decor and gifts. If they do involve venues or favors, parents in places like Denmark and New Zealand tend to keep things simple.

There's a good chance you were spanked growing up, and today your parents' attitude around corporal punishment prevails. A 2012 Brookings Institute survey found that 70% of American parents think spanking is an acceptable form of punishment. While it's common and accepted in the U.S., more than 52 countries around the world have banned any type of corporal punishment, including France, Sweden, and Greece.

In Japan, it's considered disrespectful to wear outdoor shoes inside the home. In America, though, it's pretty common. (It's also super germy, so maybe have your kids leave their sneakers at the door even if you don't technically have a problem with it.)

American households spend an average of $3,000 per year on dining out. But in other parts of the world, restaurant meals are typically reserved for special occasions. In Europe, 42% of people eat out less than once a month, if ever.

When you turn 18 in America, you move out of your house—or, at least that's what you're supposed to do if you want to be considered a productive member of society. Around the world, though, kids leave home when they're much older. One study showed the average move-out age was 25 in Spain, 24 in Poland, and 22 in France.

American parents pay a lot of money for their kids' college degrees: The average yearly tuition in the U.S. is $8,200, while it's only $1,600 in Italy and $1,100 in Portugal.

When multiple generations live under one roof, or at least very close by—as is the case in places like China and Spain—it isn't uncommon for grandparents to take on the bulk of a family's childcare needs.

Only 28% of American parents make their kids do chores, according to a 2015 survey. Compare that to places like Romania and Algeria, where 70% of kids say they help out around the house at least once a day.

Kids complaining about what's for dinner? American parents don't think twice about whipping up two, or even three, separate meals so that everybody's happy. That's unheard of in other parts of the world, though—especially considering 795 million people around the globe don't even have enough food to meet basic nutritional needs.

Americans love their soda—and they especially love to super-size their portions of it. One study found the U.S. has the 26th-highest consumption of the sugary beverage in the world.