This is a rather interesting article I read in the Telegraph when we were away.
Here's a quote and you might want to read the whole article which I've created a link to below:
"One of the toughest things I have had to get used to in an otherwise idyllic Paris is the huge gap between Anglo-Saxon parenting and parenting French style. The French are certainly sricter. They shout more. They slap more. And they enforce manners.
...in Anglo-Saxon culture, certainly in American culture, children are thought of as being the centre of the world, whereas in France, they most certainly are not....But as a result, you find beautifully brought up children..."
I must say I was quite startled in France one day when a boy of about 12 or 13 was ahead of me but stopped and opened the door of the supermarket for me and said "Madame". The courtesy of Monique's father still survives!
The writer goes on to describe various incidents of rather cruel behaviour of parents toward their children in the Luxembourg Gardens. Now we just wandered through these
gardens somewhat briefly but I didn't see any incidents like she describes. On the beach in Carqueiranne there were many young families and I can only say that the parents were interacting with their children in very loving ways.
One thing I do agree with is the idea that there is "l'heure de l'adulte". That's when children are expected to go away and leave the adults alone.
Is Maman mean or magnifique? | France | Europe | Choose A Country | Global | Telegraph
