Bringing Up Bebe

Bringing Up Bèbè: One American Mother Discovers the Wisdom of French Parenting

 
Written by an American journalist living in Paris, Bringing Up Bébé: One American Mother Discovers the Wisdom of French Parenting by Pamela Druckerman sheds light on how the French are raising their children. Obviously there are comparisons between Americans and French parenting styles, and let’s be honest, there are so many different parenting styles it is hard to group just one style as American. But I digress….

I loved this book. I learned a lot, not only about French parenting but also about French culture. The author does not begin the book praising the French, but illustrates how she grows and learns from her experiences in France. The best part is that Druckerman does not simply say, “French children sleep through the night typically by 4 months,” and leave it at that. She has meat behind her claims – proof in the pudding, even a method to such madness. Those clever French moms institute “the Pause” and “the Wait” from a very early age (weeks old!) to teach their children patience, to self soothe, and that the world does not revolve around them.

One more digression: As a mother of preemies, instituting the pause was not part of my agenda. I was told to feed those babies as much as possible, and that at nine months my oldest could start to cry it out. Doctor’s orders! So, take all of this as you will. It would not have worked for my boys, but I hope to try “the Pause” with my third. And you can bet that I am instituting “the wait” when my children demand things from me. Patience is a virtue!

Another thought that I had as I read this book is how the French government has a wonderful system in place to help mother’s go back to work. Read about it. I won’t spoil.

My final thought is about food. Of course a French book has food in it. Interestingly, the French are not big on breastfeeding, as we are often pushed towards here in the states. There are fascinating reasons why. Here, as a whole, we push BF and then what happens when our kids get to school? It feels like there are doughnuts and cupcakes because it is Tuesday, or that an oreo is a great snack to fuel the day. The food children are being fed in their schools in France is fabulous. I may be a stickler on this stuff, but to be honest, I want to be the one who can give my kids a piece of cake or a cookie, and not wonder, if is this the 5th treat they’ve had today?

If you are in the market for an interesting parenting book that is still readable and enjoyable (not the cure to narcolepsy), I recommend. Let me know if you like it too!