Listening tip: Podcast series ‘Tentzetters’
Illustration: Fela Walvisch
Journalist Sanne Blauw at De Correspondent specializes in growing up in the 21st century. Many children are found to be nearsighted, get too little exercise, and have increasingly poor motor skills. Obesity and mental pressure are on the rise. Big and complex problems with no simple answers.
Until Blauw discovered a small community where things seem to be going remarkably well — closer than you think. For her podcast series "Tentzetters," she visited Camping Zonnehoeve in Oudenhoorn. There she spoke with children, parents, other campers, and consulted with four experts who each examine campsite life from their own field.
Children First, Then the Car
In the episode "Child-Friendly or Car-Friendly?" Blauw starts with something very common at many campsites: cars stay at the edge of the site or only drive at a slow pace. Immediately the space changes. We also notice this big difference at the Athena parks. A road becomes a place to walk quietly, meet others, and for children to cycle and play.
"The child-friendly public space could use some inspiration from car-free campsites." – journalist Sanne Blauw
Safety Grows Between People
In "Doorbell or Neighbors?" a child walks across the campsite without it being immediately clear where their parents are. Yet it rarely feels unsafe. There is always someone nearby who watches, helps, or knows which tent the child belongs to. Philosopher Marli Huijer, emeritus professor of philosophy of the public domain and former Thinker of the Nation, calls this social safety.
"Social safety instantly gives you more freedom." – philosopher Marli Huijer
Precisely because people look out for each other, children don’t need to be strictly supervised. And just because not every risk is eliminated, they learn to assess, try, and sometimes even fail a bit. Children need space to gain experience, confidence, and independence.
A World More Interesting than Screens
"Online or Offline?" addresses a familiar question: how do you get a child off a phone or tablet without constant battles?
American science journalist Michaeleen Doucleff, author of "Hunt, Gather, Parent" and "Dopamine Kids," explains that dopamine isn't simply the chemical for pleasure. It mainly drives desire and motivation. That’s why we can keep wanting something even when it gives us little to no satisfaction. Apps, games, and social media cleverly exploit this.
According to Doucleff, it’s more helpful to change the environment than to constantly rely on willpower. At a campsite, other kids, trees, mud, a trampoline, or a self-invented play easily beat a screen. As Blauw sums up: "If children have something better to do, they’ll leave that screen behind."
"Because I have friends here at the campsite, and I find playing outside much more fun with them." Bas, 11 years old
Parenting Isn’t Done Alone
In "Hypernervous or Ultra-Relaxed?" the previous insights come together. When children can safely explore and entertain themselves, their parents also relax.
Professor of Pedagogy Maartje Luijk co-authored "Parents Under Pressure. Parenthood in a Demanding Era." The research shows that 40 percent of parents regularly experience symptoms consistent with parental burnout. Parents often feel solely responsible while simultaneously being surrounded by advice, schedules, and perfect family images.
At the campsite, that perfection is harder to maintain — fortunately. You hear other parents negotiating, sighing, and improvising too. Moreover, care naturally becomes more shared: older children take younger ones along, and neighbors keep a casual eye on things. Parents don’t have to be entertainer, planner, and supervisor all day long.
A Small Exercise in Living Differently Together
"Tentzetters" doesn’t claim the campsite is a perfect paradise. Cars are still needed there, children sometimes look at screens, and campsite staff work long hours. It’s also not a blueprint to simply apply to cities or villages. But the series does show what changes when we reverse a few assumptions.
For those who know Athena, many scenes will be familiar. Our parks share the qualities Sanne Blauw found at Camping Zonnehoeve: car-free space, greenery close by, spontaneous encounters, and a community of different generations.
"Tentzetters’" invitation goes further. If we want children to grow up freer, healthier, and less rushed, their environment must change too. That calls for policy, clear boundaries, and political courage.
The podcast series is available via De Correspondent and Spotify.
