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Foreword
I’m not under a blanket in Madrid. But I am under an awning in Borås.
There’s no wind. The sky is mostly cloudy, though patches of blue peek through. A bird calls out now and then. A few campers are waking up. But here, at our spot, I’m the only one awake.
A blog post is about to be born. And it happens – right now, in this very moment.

The Zoo – and That Feeling That Never Quite Leaves

We arrived in Borås yesterday.
We went to the zoo, as we’ve done before.
And yes, I always have mixed feelings about it.

It’s beautiful to see animals you’d never encounter otherwise. To hear knowledgeable, passionate staff talk about them with warmth and pride.

But then comes that other feeling.
The one that settles like a stone in my stomach.

These animals… they don’t belong here.
An elephant is meant to roam far and wide – not in slow circles inside an enclosure.
It doesn’t look natural.
It isn’t natural.

I know zoos do a lot of good. They work to preserve species. They educate. They raise awareness.
And still.
I feel it every time.
It’s not freedom. It’s an attempt.
And sometimes… attempts just aren’t enough.

Too Hot for Animals – and for Us

It was too hot. Really too hot.
And we were far from alone – crowds of people filled the paths. The animals were hiding. And the kids with us… they just weren’t as interested this time.

Maybe it was the heat.
Maybe it was the crowds.
Maybe we’ve just seen enough now.
Maybe we’re done.
That’s what my daughter and I said on our way out. We’ve done our share of the zoo.

Still, there were sweet moments.
We found shade. We had soft serve. The sandwiches and pancakes we brought disappeared quickly. The kids got absolutely soaked chasing fountains in the play area – laughing until it became contagious.

In that mess of water and squeals, there was something peaceful.
A pause from the heat and the crowd.

Fifty Meters of Relief – and a Night with Sausages and Cards

After the zoo, we headed to the pool nearby.
Not every day you get to swim in a 50-meter pool.
It was a balm. For body and soul.

We swam, jumped, played.
And I felt it – here I am. Here we are. Right now.

When we got back to the camper, my husband was grilling sausages. I made mashed potatoes. Everyone ate. It wasn’t gourmet, but we were hungry – and that made it good.

Later, we played Chicago with my daughter and her partner.
I had a great hand – but their strange rules meant no one actually won.

Then we headed into town.
Movits were playing in the city park.
I’d only seen clips my daughter had posted on Facebook and thought, “Eh, not my kind of music.”
But I was wrong.
There was rhythm, groove, and lyrics that spoke to me.
And they were from way up north – which warmed me. Creativity is alive across the whole country.

@carinaikonennilsson

#movits #malix #viral #music #lvl #mobilhome

♬ originalljud – carina

But that’s also when it began to scratch.
That other thing. The thing that didn’t sit right.

When Night Falls – and the Kids Aren’t Home

There were so many people. Music, laughter, movement.
And safety – thanks to the many police officers and security guards. It felt reassuring.

But then I saw them.

The kids.

Girls and boys. None of them older than 14. Many of them barely 12 or 13.
Big groups. Makeup. Tough stares. Twitchy movements. Shifty eyes.

And I knew.
I knew what I was seeing.

I’ve seen it before. In my job. In real life.
These are kids who are getting lost.

And it wasn’t a judgment. It was experience.
I could spot the ones who had already tried things. I could see the weight they were carrying – things they should never have to carry.

And all I could think was:
Where are you, parents?

What makes you not see this?
Do you really think your kids are little angels? Standing there – with fire in their eyes and the wrong people around them?

It tells me they’re not angels.
And it should tell you the same.

You need to wake up. Not later. Now.
It’s already late.

This isn’t a path kids “end up on.”
It’s a path they’re pushed onto – when no one’s holding the door closed at home.

I was furious. And heartbroken.
No child should have to be grown-up at that age.
No child should be navigating drugs, threats, violence – because their parents can’t be bothered to be the boring adult who says no.

That’s what parenting is.
It’s being the one who says: “No. You’re staying home.”

It’s checking in.
Talking to other parents.
Knowing where your kids are – really knowing.

Don’t you see?
It’s scared kids who carry weapons.
Scared, disguised kids who need parents.

No kid should need a weapon to feel safe in town.
They should be home – with you – even if it means playing boring board games.

Don’t you get it? These are scared children.
They hide behind Gucci caps and fake status.
But it’s not real.
It’s a shield.

It’s not cute.
It’s dangerous.

And it’s on us.

My Friend, Her Films – and the Question We Don’t Ask

Lastly – a soft end.
I want to share my friend’s YouTube channel again.
She makes short educational videos for children – about feelings, about life.
She works on them late at night, after her own kids have fallen asleep. She records, edits, narrates.

100% for her kids during the day.
100% for others’ kids at night.

And I wonder…
when does she take care of herself?

Or maybe – maybe that’s how she does it.
Through creating. Through giving.
Just like I do it here – with my writing.

Maybe that’s how we save ourselves.
One sentence at a time.

Closing Words

This post held a lot.
About animals that shouldn’t be in cages.
About children who shouldn’t roam the streets alone.
About adults who shouldn’t hand over their responsibility.
And about the small things – an ice cream in the shade, a laugh in a splash zone, a friend who gives her all.

It’s easy to lose your footing in this world.
But maybe, just maybe – it’s in the small, everyday moments that we find it again.


I don’t write to be liked. Im write because the world hurts sometimes – and because I know we need to look ´. I carry experience, but also hope. And the guts not to look away.


Yesterday has already laid down in history. Tomorrow waits up ahead. But right now – this is where life happens. – Carina Ikonen Nilsson

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#ParentingReality #KidsOnTheStreets #BoråsZoo #EverydayAwareness #ChildrenAndSafety #SwedishCamping #UrbanYouth #WakeUpParents #FreedomAndResponsibility

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