[[http://www.telegraph.co.uk/portal/main.jhtml?xml Difference between French and Anglo-Saxon parenting styles

[Anna8888]

Loved this article - so true. What do you think?

KTeePee - I go along with the "work" in early childhood making for easier teenage years. I'm just not sure all that screaming and threatening and punishment is the right approach. Personally I think parents need to insist on good manners, but they need to explain why they are so important, not just demand them. And why parents think it is excusable to be rude to their children and yet require/expect children to be polite and kind with them belies belief IMO

I thought that Anna, till they hit their teens....

I'll parp myself. I come from a country where noone wants to pay taxes and is shameful. It's a pretty much anarchist country and only a deep study of its history will help to remotely understand why. I think making generalizations is unfair. However I remember that the worst behaved people in the queue for Italian sky-lifts were the English. And according to so called researches English teenagers are the "worst" behavioured. What does this say about their education? You know, I don't care. I think every country hosts a million different parenting style. True, there might be a prevalent "one". But everything is relative.

Just noticed this thread.

Interesting article, but not particularly representative of life outside well-heeled Parisian circles I don't think.

I do know a few families that fit this type in our corner of the provinces though, and as far as I can tell, the section of French society that raise impeccably-mannered children are perfectly aware of their savage tendencies in the playground. Petit Bateau adverts have featured children getting up to all sorts of dastardly deeds in their expensive clothes, after all.

Don't parp, Franca!

ggg - when I look at my friends and family, there is definitely a correlation though - no miracle recipe for constant happiness but the parents who have spent the most time explaining the world to their children, and are fairly relaxed about what their children do, seem to have much less stormy relationships than either the authoritarian or the totally laissez-faire parents. Trouble is, the middle approach is very time consuming.

Franca - so, according to you, it's not worth thinking about how we bring up our children as it makes not the slightest bit of difference at the end of the day?

ggg
No, what it's useless is making generalization as to which national parental style is the best.

But I don't think anyone is trying to do that on this thread, nor in the article even. It's not a national competition but a discussion of different styles and their pros and cons...

I think respect, encouragement, forgiveness and patience make good parenting. In any language.

Caroline - yes, all critical parenting skills. Especially patience

Don't get the impression Janine exactly knocked herself out to get this story. More like she looked out of her window and phoned a few friends. Having lived in Paris (both dcs were born there) I could certainly recognise what she was describing, but as many people have already pointed out she was generalising about an entire country based on a particular observation in the sixieme. Yet another sign that the Telegraph is trying to turn itself into the Daily Mail imo. However, she certainly struck a chord with me with the remarks about children being in childcare from the age of three months (and I think this is really a Paris thing) as I vividly remember strolling the streets of Paris with my newborns to find admirers peering into the pram before automatically inquiring "Is she/he yours?" - the first time it happened I thought they were suggesting I was a child abductor! It was certainly pretty unheard of around our way (the 14th) to look after your own children. Totally agree with ggg's observations on the maternelle - that was exactly my experience both in Paris and here in Germany where both children are in the French school. Totally wonderful and children have really thrived in that environment.