Are French kids brought up differently to kids in England or were these just some super kids we met on holiday?

[XelaM]

Just returned from a boat day trip in Greece with my teen. There were a few other families there including a French family with two little kids aged five and six. Those kids were honestly some of the "toughest" (and most well-behaved) kids I have ever come across.

To start with, I have never seen kids that age swim so well. Those tiny kids were like fish - jumping from the side of the boat and swimming with zero aids in really really deep waters. We also visited some cliffs and some jumped from the cliffs into the sea (which was SO SCARY 😱) and those little kids did that as well! Even my adventurous teen said the jump from the cliffs was scary and she couldn't believe the two little kids did it.

We were also fed freshly caught sea urchin and sea potatoes (which were an acquired taste to say the least 🤣) and I was certain the kids wouldn't try them only to see those two taking one sea urchin after another with zero complaints.

They were up for anything and you never heard a single moan or complaint out of them (unlike my 14-year-old 😏). And it's not like their parents appeared strict or disinterested - they were having fun and engaged with the kids. The kids were super friendly and chatty (when spoken to by others) but otherwise completely did their own thing not bothering anyone at all.

At the end even my teen who usually has no time for little kids was impressed and commented that "those were some hard core kids" 😅 (her words).

So clearly I went wrong in my parenting somewhere 🤪 but it made me wonder - are French kids brought up differently - maybe more independent and resilient or were those some super-human robot kids? 😁

In other words, you're going to do the usual thing of making 'massive generalisations' about Britain but don't have the courage to say where you come from so that those so inclined could return the favour?

Seeing as you’re so invested…

I’m from Japan.

I’ve also lived in four European countries and have travelled extensively through the UK.

I could make lots of generalisations about Japan and the Japanese but that's not really my thing.

Isn’t the age of consent a bit lower in France?

Anecdotal but going on a school trip to France at around 14 me and my friends found the men/much older French teens way worse for inappropriate behaviour and unwanted attention.

Please feel welcome to.

The OP started a thread generalizing, others have done the same. You seem very triggered by my post so please do feel free to say what you’d like about your observations of Japanese children. I’d love to hear your splendid thoughts.

I wonder what went wrong with the two French exchange students I hosted who were the fussiest eaters I've ever known and that's saying something as I have one who I thought was the fussiest eater ever. The funny thing was I was worried about my DD staying with one of the families in France because of her food issues and then I found out their daughter was worse. Veg - no, fruit - no, cheese - a bit, pain au chocolat - as much as I could carry, chips - yes.

All societies have their strengths and weaknesses and I don't necessarily disagree with your observations about British children.

One thing which interests me about Japan is why many women/young people there have decided en masse that parenthood is not for them. Are societal expectations for parenting/parenthood too high, perhaps?

😂😂

My French exchange partner used to request marmite on toast for tea. She loved it.

As I said above, generalisations aren't really my thing. I've seen bratty kids and impeccably behaved kids of all nationalities.

Not sure why you think I'm 'triggered' by your lazy stereotypes, interchangeable with so many comments on this thread. Like I said, threads like these come up every few weeks and you rarely see anything new or original.

I wouldn’t worry Hal3000 there are a few posters on Mumsnet who get the hump if you dare to suggest that any aspect of the UK is less than perfect! They seem to take it personally.

The school my children went to was less than a mile from the coast, they could see the sea as they came out of school. The point is they were British kids at British schools living in a British town and they did have access to the coast without expensive parking so saying British kids don't have that is only true of some kids. This isn't the only town on the coast with children. Like I said more generalisations.

Are you aware there are huge areas in France that aren't near the coast? Paris is over 100 miles from the coast and I bet there are children living in Paris.

No that isn't true. I never claimed that British kids in general have easy coastal access. I hope you have the decency to admit you are wrong. I was replying to a post about British kids not having access to the coast due to cost and while they is true for some it definitely isn't true for all.

It is not my field of expertise and I can’t give you a definitive answer, but I’d assume a lot of reasons are similar to what the UK is experiencing in terms of declining birth rates; higher cost of living, income requirements dictating that women work in greater numbers than before and in more professional careers and so they’re older having babies so having fewer, societal shifts.

That would have worked well with us, we are definitely a marmite house.

I went to France with my DD when she was 2 to visit my parents. I was complimented a few times by French parents about how well behaved my DD was (they didn't see the mega tantrums she had at other times) so I'd say like this country some are well behaved and some aren't.

I’m so confused by you.

You literally asked me to state where I’m from so that you and others could generalize about children from my country.

When I told you, you then said that it’s not your thing.

Thank you. It is super strange.

The generalisations are just silly. There are well behaved and badly behaved children all over the world. The wonder of French children swimming, well I took my British 3 year old swimming one day and David Wilkie was watching him and said he reminded him of himself and asked where he'd learned to swim. So I'll take it that British kids are well able to hold their own in the water if an Olympic gold medalist comments.

As for tomb stoning well I live in a coastal town and kids get injured and even die doing this and I won't congratulate any parent who allows it.

You're confused because you didn't read my post where I specified 'those so inclined'. I am not so inclined.

Also, in these discussions there's always an obsession with how kids behave in restaurants, as though that were the gold standard for evaluating how 'well brought up' children are.

Yes that is so true. I used to work with a French man and he always laughed when people said the French didn't abuse alcohol like the British. He said there were so many alcoholics in France but they drank so much from an early age they just carried it better. I have no idea if that is true as I'm a lifelong teetotaller but he swore it was true. I suppose there must be stats about it somewhere.

Also, in these discussions there's always an obsession with how kids behave in restaurants, as though that were the gold standard for evaluating how 'well brought up' children are

This is because badly behaved kids in restaurants have a negative impact on other customers. People pay their hard earned money to relax and enjoy their meals out and do not want to see or hear poorly behaved kids.

That would go for lots of venues, theatres, cinemas, public transport.

Actually I went to the theatre with one of my GC a couple of weeks ago. It was suitable for children and probably half the audience were children. The behaviour was excellent, no noise, no running around, no talking and a big plus for me was the kids behind me weren't kicking the back of my seat which is something I hate.