The school system is preparing our kids

for a world that no longer exists.

I once thought Sweden’s approach to education

was paradise.

Then we moved to the Netherlands.

Six months in a “free school”

showed me the truth:

even the best intentions can’t escape a system

that sorts children by age,

pressures them to perform,

and turns learning into competiton.

It wasn’t bad—

but it was built for the past.

This weekend,

I sat with teachers at my son’s school in Portugal,

a school that receives zero goverment funding

because they refuse to compromise their vision.

They mix ages,

foster mentorship,

and focus on curiosity, resilience,

and connection to nature.

Is it perfect?

No.

But at least they’re designing an education for the future, not the past.

Their message was clear:

the future won’t reward memorization or compliance.

It will demand creativity, adaptability,

and the courage to think differently.

This isn’t about blame.

It’s about honesty.

The world our children inherit

won’t look like the one we knew.

So why are we still educating them

as if it will?

Question for you:

If you could redesign school for your child,

what’s the first thing you’d change?