For parents of young DCs who are thinking of living in France

[ppeatfruit]

Smacking little ones a widespread practice in maternelles. Ref: www.thefrenchpaper.com

It seems that 95% of parents in France smack their DCs, the teachers do the same (not just little ones). I don't think many people are aware of this.

Well there you go ,kind of blows the ' the french are soooo much more child friendly ' argument out of the water .Unless you accept that mild smacking may not be as hugely damaging as some might think .

Really? DS has been in quite a few maternelles and primary schools and not once...aaah. wait. true, there was one TA who gave him a light smack on the head- but as soon as the head teacher found out he was fired on the spot, so it doesn't seem to be an accepted practice. Anyway, neither DS or his friends ever said anything about being smacked.

Can you link to the article itself?

I used to teach in a primaire and it's true that the staff were a lot more "hands on" than would be permitted here. But I don't think that's a bad thing

Elaborate on 'hands on', please?

I don't know anyone who has been smacked in maternelle, not even dh's friends who were there in the 70s. But I suppose maybe they were all just good as gold as children...

In fact, they all talk about how lovely school was because the teachers would cuddle them if they cried etc.

I know a lot of my friends were smacked by their parents, but then so was I in the UK. My French friends with children do not smack them.

Maybe I only know people from the non-smacking 5%, but that would seem a bit odd.

My DDs are in a french maternelle and haven't been smacked, and neither have any of the other children as far as I know. The TAs and teacher cuddle them if they are upset, and if they are naughty they are taken to sit and calm down in the "quiet corner" Can't imagine any smacking tbh, though of course it might be different in other schools.

Sorry blu i'm not very au fait with the computer but it's the front page Headline 'We left France over school smacking' and page 6 and 7 inside.

It's funny bumpsoon but we have childless friends who run a B & B and they go on about how well behaved the fr. DCs are. I've got the feeling that fear may contribute to the good behaviour!

scouserabroad It's good to know that it's not as a general a practice as the paper makes out. I do find that fr. parents are always 'shooshing' even their little babies, have you?

Seems to come from this woman's blog

We are in French speaking Switzerland, and have friends in French schools and I have never heard of a child being smacked in school. Not saying it doesn't happen, but we have always been impressed with the teachers here. They are quite willing to cuddle an upset child, which is rarer in UK due to the whole paedo-hysteria.