French small fries are a chip off the good parenting block

BJ says:

06:44am | 12/02/12

Do any of these twelve types of mothers ever shut-up about their kids?

Badrinath says:

08:27am | 12/02/12

I like your article Angela. I consider myself most fortunate that my wife is definitely a woman first, then a mother. But she is always a woman first before being anything, be it wife, best mate, spiritual questioner, curious student of life, hard worker bringing home ‘bacon’, sister, daughter and so on.

Perhaps it is only relevant to our case, but the way I see it, for someone to be a woman first, she must be liberated, alive, listened to and empowered. We try to give each other the support and freedom and space to be the people we each fell in love with, and this helps to keep every day rich.

She does 90% of the parenting, I do 90% of the bread winning and we share all the living of our family life. But it is true that we are both each type of parent at any changing, given moment.  We are human after all, and as parents we face the most challenging and most rewarding part of the journey of life.

Johnoo says:

11:14am | 12/02/12

When will Australia see the rise of the soccer mums.

Arnold Layne says:

01:09pm | 12/02/12

For those who’d actually like to read Druckerman directly, try this link.  Sure she comes across as a bit “I’ve lived in France and you haven’t” at times, but the principles behind what she says are pretty good.  The amusing thing is how many parents need to read something like this to realise the simple truths of parenting.  Teach your children patience, respect and politeness and the rest will follow.  When your children are praised publicly for their behaviour, it reflects on them AND you.  It’s not luck.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204740904577196931457473816.html

Cynicised says:

01:58pm | 12/02/12

The French also include their children in most social activities. They don’t have grown ups only weddings or birthday parties, les enfants are usually automatically included.

I would disagree about them not misbehaving in public though.I saw some pretty bratty behaviour in Paris. However, the French do respond quickly with either a soothing cuddle or a command to desist which is heeded just as quickly.

Eva says:

02:06pm | 12/02/12

If there are twelve types of mothers then perhaps we can be categorized by our Chinese year of birth, monkeys, dogs, sheep, as well as the aforementioned tiger.

stephen says:

04:49pm | 12/02/12

The French, as well as some other Europeans, have a very distinctive and, shall I say, a willful attitude to life, generally, and this is apparent in their nurturing skills, as in everything else.
They know what they want and their Culture and a certain arrogance will let them do what they want, and not to be too aware or caring of others’ opinions.
I’m not being too cynical : the way the French talk and the precision that they utilize to get even a joke across, say, does make them behave concordently.
They behave the way they speak.

Vicki PS says:

01:02am | 13/02/12

Cripes, all these years I’ve been French and didn’t know it.  And so, apparently were my parents and grandparents!  Quelle surprise!

Actually, Angela, what you have described isn’t “French” parenting, it’s just plain old parenting—a skill that the complacent and self-congratulatory parents of the ‘greed is good’ generation fecklessly abandoned.