French Children Don't Throw Food

OK so here's a book worth reading, particularly if you have children (or possibly dogs) who might respond to a bit of discipline in their lives. It's written by a US expat living in France with her British husband and child and it describes (in great detail) the difference between Anglophone and French child rearing techniques and beliefs and it's actually pretty interesting.

Now believe me, I'm not one of those people who spend all their time reading parenting books. And despite the fact I sound like I'm judging these probably very dedicated parents as slightly boring, obsessive and neurotic people, I'm really not. It's just not my bag. I'd prefer a bit of escapism or romance or humour. However I did read Amy Chua's Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mom after reading the NYT review and after finishing it, I was left slightly embarrassed and entirely shocked that despite her possible insanity, I was a bit of a believer in her strict parenting ideas.

Anyway, this isn't about the tiger mom, this is about the French maman and her seemingly effortless ability to control her child from a very young age. You see, if you believe the book, French kids don't interrupt their parents, eat all their vegetables and happily try all sorts of weird food and they never, ever throw their food.

Now I guess this book just came to me at the right time because I am currently the mother of a fairly inquisitive, creative, vocal and shall we say.... demonstrative 2 1/2 year old boy. He does interrupt his parents, he doesn't eat all his vegetable and he has, on more than 10 occasions been known to throw his food.

So the book became immediately intriguing to me and interestingly, the author does share all the French secrets. Admittedly, in most cases you've got to start young (believe me, I implemented an urgent strategy shift as I was reading) but in many cases it seems to be just about owning the authority within the relationship, staying very consistent in your dealings with said monkeys and being able to administer what is known a la Francais as 'le grand yeux', the big eyes. Which for the record is a sort of scary, owl-like face where you pretty much freak your child out enough to stop them do whatever it is they're doing.

Anyway, so if you're looking for a read and are desperate to find a way to break some of those less civilised habits early on I suggest you check it out. Enjoy!