for being fed up hearing how much better our European neighbours are...

[onelittlefish]

than our lovely selves? Fuelled by reading another thread and a week of how our European neighbours have it nailed and we don't.

Last week I was reading the times about how much better behaved French children are. Firstly, the worst behaved teenagers are actually the French in London. Secondly, it is quite easy to discipline a child if you scare the shit out of them.

On to my next point apparently, we are the fattest in Europe - however, I am sure that if you look in places like Paris / Milan you will find a Macdonalds and plenty of fat french / spanish.

Lastly, the time old criticism that we are a dowdy bunch. Again, myth after myth. I have seen plenty of dowdy french people in my time - usually in the suburbs (I have visited france plenty) and the comparison is a bit like comparing Paris-women with say the stereo-typical Essex lass (sorry essex lass' I am sure you all have lots of style but I had to find a comparator).

If you want to join a rant please come and tell me something that the English do better.

Personally, I think English children are the kindest and politest in Europe.

OP, what do you mean about French children being scared shitless by their parents? I have come across a lot of stereotypes but this is news to me :)

Thankgod, on MN there is the general assumption that France is not only a sexist country, but also inhabited by despotic parents ...

I think they are a bit more respectful of their parents, on the whole.

The French mothers I have met through various children's exchange programmes have had a certain something to them that has put me in awe of them. I wouldn't give them lip.

And the French girls who stay here seem to find us very laid-back, though I don't think we are any more so than other British families. The children we had staying this week: 15-year-olds from a very academic lycee, were extremely well dressed in a non-flashy way, very attractive, very polite and generally nice to have around. I was impressed.

My neighbours are Spanish. They leave pooey cat litter in untied rubbish bags in the communal bin area and it leaks everywhere.

The Italian ones before that used to leave bags of dirty nappies by their front door overnight before taking them to the bins (presumably so their flat didnt smell like dirty nappies overnight).

I rest my case...

Oh yup - when I was young we had overseas students staying and it was very interesting - as interesting as it is for overseas families putting up british kids.

The mind boggles!

But generally the future is outside of europe - possibly because as a contintent we all have very little in common and hate each other and the rest of world laughs at us all.

The article I read in the times last week said that French parents are apparently really big on smacking on children - I was actually being over the top in that regard I admit, as I have occasionally smacked my own DCs. However, DH and his family (who have lived in france to varying degrees) are always saying how much better behaved the french children are. Other people I have met have also said the same. Personally, I just find a perfectly behaved child a bit spooky and unnatural.

English kids are the best behaved? You must not have travelled very widely. Visiting France occasionally =/= informed.

It's the wallowing in mediocrity that a lot of Brits do that irritates me.

Nowhere else on this planet would you get people almost proud to be " a bit thick" (as I've seen on many forums with regard to the use of one's own language) or where a poster will get berated for having a moan about a teacher not being to spell....or where people say "yeah, British food is shit" (er, no, not if you buy nice ingredients and know how to cook it's not)

My fave nationality is the Spanish though. Kind of like my beloved Italians but without the constant need for mirrors (although the men's trousers still err on the side of a leedle too Early Learning Centre Colour Scheme for my sombre tastes)

I find well behaved children rather delightful, and certainly have never met anyone who led me to suspect they were well behaved because they were being terrorized by their parents! Quite the opposite, really.

And btw Correct I am italian but I 've never left rubbish by my front door overnight....

I find well-behaved children a figment of my own over-active imagination....or something like the perfect foundation, you know it exists somewhere.....but it just eludes you.

I know lots of well behaved children, while I still have to find the perfect foundation.

Today i had 7 children here, and they have been lovely (apart from having stinky feet)

My ds is getting stinky feet. And he farts and wants us all to know about it.

YANBU. Eurotrash music and the Eurovision Song Contest sum it up! We have proper toilets and grass too :o Agree with purplefairies that it's a British thing to be self-deprecating instead of boastful as in some cultures, but that doesn't mean we're no good. Oh and we know how to queue politely :)

Bucharest I completely agree with your first line.

Wallowing in mediocrity. Love it.

The Brits very often, from the press to individuals, talk everything down, from the country as a whole to individuals. It's easy to compare ourselves disfavourably with others when we are so cynical about ourselves and when people who succeed in any form are mocked.

It's sad.

That said, I happen to agree that the French are better mannered in their own way. But I think manners comes from respect for themselves and for others and for their surroundings. Something which a lot of people in the UK don't seem to understand anymore.

Aldiwhore, yes that book title "French children don't throw food" made me too as I've never child who does throw it!

I read some statistic in the paper the other day about how british people supposedly eat less fruit and veg than any other countries. I was a bit because if they are basing this on sales of fruit and veg then they haven't a clue. I'm willing to bet we are the only country that has thousands of allotments that anyone can apply for and many other people grow what they can. Even on a balcony you will often see tomatoes and the like.

Francs - I am glad to hear it. Just making the point that there are odd sorts all over really. I have quite a few Italian friends and have to say that their kids are delightful - very polite, funny and enjoy talking to adults too.

My french cousin's children definately DO throw food (and sneak wine from the table when they think no-one is looking and create merry hell if they don't like the food.

In our family, us kids were all very very well behaved and DS is too. My sisters lot are like cavemen (her description) and my brothers and a mixed lot.

You are not suggesting that Milan is in Spain are you?!

Apparently we do have one of the highest rates of obesity and teen Mums....and our public transport system is also more expensive than elsewhere in Europe...I believe!

And as for that trailer they keep showing with the french chefs who supposedly taught us all how to cook and then they show a plate of horrible runny scrambled eggs...

Btw, really, these articles about "children who throw food", really... How exactly do you base a research to establish who throws more food? And who exactly worries if a 2 yr old child throws food?

pixel if it's the one I'm thinking of it is piperade not scrambled eggs :o

Oh, ok then...

Is it? Oh well I was only listening because I can't stand the smugness of the ad and dh said "urgh, I hate runny scrambled eggs like that" so I just agreed with him and carried on mumsnetting.

I think a lot of these articles comparing nationalities are lazy journalism. For example, journalists who generalise about French women and their appearance have probably spent time in Paris, or covering film festivals etc in Cannes or Nice. A few years ago we used to do booze cruises and go to places like Calais or other parts of Normandy. Not a lot of Audrey Tatou lookalikes there. In terms of weight and fashion sense, certainly no better than Britain.

However, I live in an area of London where there is a German school which follows the German curriculum, and we have a lot of German families in the area. I do notice that their children are very well behaved and pleasant in public. However, the parents have often come over for career reasons, because they are senior in German companies, or they have academic posts, or are sought after in their industries, so I appreciated that they are more likely to be middle class and highly educated, and are not representative of the country as a whole.

Not saying that working class people without high flying careers can't have perfectly lovely kids either, before I get flamed. I'm from a working class background myself, and my parents had very high standards.

Well you've learnt your lesson... Don't agree with your DH again! :o

Sorry, don't know what I was thinking of!

I agree Daughteroflilith, it is just lazy journalism.

Even articles about substantiated researches (obesity rates or whatever it is actually measurable) are usually simplistic and over generalising.