American child-raising

I recently read an article written by an American woman who moved to France where she raised her children. Over time she realized that there are some fundamental differences in the way the French and 'Anglo Saxons' raise their children. I think the best way to explain it was how she described her French neighbors living room: it was an adult room and the children were expected to respect it. That sentiment was present in all aspects of childraising.

In France, children are expected to conform to the lives of the adults and instead of the other way around. She says French children go to bed no later than 8pm so they can 'kiss', which is how one French mom explained it to her daughter. Anglo Saxons bend over backwards for their children and try to give them everything they ever wanted. They also keep them home 'safe and protected' instead of going on pre-school overnight trips to Britain, sheltering them from life experiences, which the French have no problem giving them at age 3.

As I thought about this comparison, I realized the way Americans raise their children probably has a lot to do with some pretty major behavior issues we encounter. Obviously this is a gross generalization, but there is a culture of parents' lives rotating around the lives of their children instead of the other way around. No wonder many young adults today expect the same as they go to college and enter the real world. They are used to their parents bending over backwards for them and don't realize that their bosses don't care how smart they think they are. This article definitely changed how I think about raising Vivienne...