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“When I ask French parents what they most want for their children, they say things like "to feel comfortable in their own skin" and "to find their path in the world." They want their kids to develop their own tastes and opinions. In fact, French parents worry if their kids are too docile. They want them to have character.
But they believe that children can achieve these goals only if they respect boundaries and have self-control. So alongside character, there has to be cadre.”
― Bringing Up Bébé: One American Mother Discovers the Wisdom of French Parenting
But they believe that children can achieve these goals only if they respect boundaries and have self-control. So alongside character, there has to be cadre.”
― Bringing Up Bébé: One American Mother Discovers the Wisdom of French Parenting
“The French believe that kids feel confident when they're able to do things for themselves, and do those things well. After children have learned to talk, adults don't praise them for saying just anything. They praise them for saying interesting things, and for speaking well.”
― Bringing Up Bébé: One American Mother Discovers the Wisdom of French Parenting
― Bringing Up Bébé: One American Mother Discovers the Wisdom of French Parenting
“Like the French, he starts babies off on vegetables and fruits rather than bland cereals. He's not obsessed with allergies. He talks about "rhythm" and teaching kids to handle frustration. He values calm. And he gives real weight to the parents' own quality of life, not just to the child's welfare.”
― Bringing Up Bébé: One American Mother Discovers the Wisdom of French Parenting
― Bringing Up Bébé: One American Mother Discovers the Wisdom of French Parenting
“Yet the French have managed to be involved without becoming obsessive. They assume that even good parents aren't at the constant service of their children, and that there's no need to feel guilty about this. "For me, the evenings are for the parents." one Parisian mother tells me. "My daughter can be with us if she wants, but it's adult time.”
― Bringing Up Bébé: One American Mother Discovers the Wisdom of French Parenting
― Bringing Up Bébé: One American Mother Discovers the Wisdom of French Parenting
“Frenchwomen don’t see pregnancy as a free pass to overeat, in part because they haven’t been denying themselves the foods they love—or secretly binging on those foods—for most of their adult lives. “Too often, American women eat on the sly, and the result is much more guilt than pleasure,” Mireille Guiliano explains in her intelligent book French Women Don’t Get Fat. “Pretending such pleasures don’t exist, or trying to eliminate them from your diet for an extended time, will probably lead to weight gain.”
― Bringing Up Bébé: One American Mother Discovers the Wisdom of French Parenting
― Bringing Up Bébé: One American Mother Discovers the Wisdom of French Parenting
Bridgette’s 2025 Year in Books
Take a look at Bridgette’s Year in Books, including some fun facts about their reading.
902 books
|
110 friends
976 books
|
58 friends
671 books
|
81 friends
223 books
|
33 friends
647 books
|
17 friends
124 books
|
37 friends
118 books
|
19 friends
1,800 books
|
87 friends
More friends…
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