Of course, you don't need day care for long in France, because children start school at the age of two and a half or three. They then stay in this pre-school until they start the obligatory school system at the age of five and a half or six. Both are, indeed, free.
This enables mothers to go back to work when their child is three without the continued worry of finding and paying for day care. When I told friends back home that my three-year-old had just started school, I was met with protestations that it was much too early. "How can they go to school in diapers?" my friend asked. Another difference: in France children are usually potty trained by two and a half.
3. Child-friendliness
I'm often struck when going back to the States how different the atmosphere feels at restaurants and weddings, where it seems an adult-only rule has been set and the presence of children discouraged.
Child are omnipresent here, whether it's in posh restaurants or dancing until the wee hours at parties.
In France, it just isn't a party unless there's a gaggle of little ones running around, entertaining the adults and being over-fed and over-pinched by the elders.
Child are omnipresent here, whether it's in posh restaurants or dancing until the wee hours at parties. Several times my husband and I have been scolded for getting a babysitter. "You must bring the kids!" is often included in an invitation, whether it's for a house party, a meeting in a bar, or dinner out with friends. Children are included from the earliest ages in all parts of their family's life, so they adapt quickly to social situations and know how they are expected to behave.
The French have a way of worshipping their children while maintaining a high level of discipline at the same time. I'm still working on this one; like mastering the innate French skill of looking chic in jeans and sneakers, I, too, hope to one day master the skill of indulging and scolding my children with equal elegance.
Article photo: Suraj Mathew
©2008 Rachelle Atkins and Nerve Media
About the Author
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Rachelle Atkins is a freelance writer living in the south of France with her husband, 2 daughters and 2 Jack Russells. Her work has appeared in Living France and France Magazine, and her blog can be found here. |
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