Scan barcode
scates26's review against another edition
5.0
This was a fabulous book. The ideas are so simple and full of common sense - children should be taught that they aren't the center of the universe, mothers should continue to give attention to their own needs, yes parents are in charge, etc. etc. - and yet they are so ignored in America where there is ample evidence that "the child is king". I disagreed with a few points (use of daycare, bottle-feeding, the idea that even infants need to have things rationally explained to them), but on the whole I don't understand how you could read this and not immediately want to move to Paris and soak up the parenting culture. Since I don't think I could convince my husband to do that, I've settled for making myself flashcards of what I found to be the most important points of different chapters and intend to study Parisian parenting from afar.
teaandlibri's review against another edition
3.0
Interesting, but perhaps over-hyped French mothers rarely/prefer not to breastfeed their babies. GASP! Children as young as 4-5 go on week-long "camps" with their school, away from their parents. GASP! They even sometimes get chocolate for breakfast. Whaaaat?
Pamela Druckerman is a US-born author/former journalist who met and married a British man. Only problem was that he was living in Paris. So she moved to Paris. Eventually they had a daughter and later twin boys. These non-French parents had to figure out a system different from their own.
The author describes various aspects of child-rearing, parenting, and the like. It starts from how pregnant women behave and are viewed (ie what she was used to as "no-nos" such as wine and smoking are not considered to be death sentences or bad for the baby if the mother chooses to occasionally indulge) and discusses various things: day-care, schooling, getting babies to sleep through the night, discipline, the role of children in the house, what differs in a French child's upbringing vs. others (typically Druckerman uses her experiences in the US and her friends to compare).
Some of it was quite interesting to see how such things are compared and the differences between the two cultures. (For example, Druckerman cites the chocolate example above in the larger context of candy, eating and how food is viewed. She notes that more US children are considered obese, vs. French children. And this disparity only gets larger when older children/teenagers are compared). Having read French Kids Eat Everything I was already familiar with some of the differences North American (US in the case of Druckerman, Canadian for the Eat Everything book), so some of the info was a little repetitive. Druckerman's style can also be quite uneven: sometimes it's really fascinating, others I was quite bored with her going on and on about how difficult it was to find friendships with French mothers and often spoke to Anglophone or ex-pat parents from elsewhere.
Still, I had wanted to read this for quite a while and it was enjoyable. There are certainly some tips that parents might find handy or at least interesting to think about (but it is not a "how to" book). Francophiles might enjoy adding this to their libraries.
Pamela Druckerman is a US-born author/former journalist who met and married a British man. Only problem was that he was living in Paris. So she moved to Paris. Eventually they had a daughter and later twin boys. These non-French parents had to figure out a system different from their own.
The author describes various aspects of child-rearing, parenting, and the like. It starts from how pregnant women behave and are viewed (ie what she was used to as "no-nos" such as wine and smoking are not considered to be death sentences or bad for the baby if the mother chooses to occasionally indulge) and discusses various things: day-care, schooling, getting babies to sleep through the night, discipline, the role of children in the house, what differs in a French child's upbringing vs. others (typically Druckerman uses her experiences in the US and her friends to compare).
Some of it was quite interesting to see how such things are compared and the differences between the two cultures. (For example, Druckerman cites the chocolate example above in the larger context of candy, eating and how food is viewed. She notes that more US children are considered obese, vs. French children. And this disparity only gets larger when older children/teenagers are compared). Having read French Kids Eat Everything I was already familiar with some of the differences North American (US in the case of Druckerman, Canadian for the Eat Everything book), so some of the info was a little repetitive. Druckerman's style can also be quite uneven: sometimes it's really fascinating, others I was quite bored with her going on and on about how difficult it was to find friendships with French mothers and often spoke to Anglophone or ex-pat parents from elsewhere.
Still, I had wanted to read this for quite a while and it was enjoyable. There are certainly some tips that parents might find handy or at least interesting to think about (but it is not a "how to" book). Francophiles might enjoy adding this to their libraries.
lguldan25's review against another edition
2.0
Parenting is not in my immediate future but I was intrigued by how many people were reading this book. Child-rearing advice aside, I was cringing at practically every page with the way the author consistently describes women. I kept making concessions for her and trying to understand from where this innate sexism derived, and by the halfway point I was no longer interested in indulging or trying to be graceful in justifying her point of view, which too frequently was in stark contrast to my own. She described French women as stuck up for not immediately initiating friendship with her on the basis that their children go to the same creche, as if female friendship only exists in one design and if it doesn’t exist, is a referendum on the one choosing not to be in a particular friendship. Later on in the same page she mentions that “moms do get a bit fatter as you get farther from central Paris.” What?? As if the overt leaning into gender roles many women have long abandoned (or at least tried very hard to move away from within the bounds of their lives) and the tired idea that just because her husband is supposedly worthy of complaining about to other similarly afflicted women they should all just have a little social circle wasn’t enough, this was the line that pushed me over the edge. And it’s only at the halfway point of the book. Can women stop holding themselves and each other to these ridiculous outdated standards and simply advance the cause of women’s place in history/present/future without undermining and speaking harmfully about one another? Any parenting ideas worth mentioning from this book were wholly eclipsed by its poor rendering.
periwinklelily's review against another edition
funny
informative
lighthearted
medium-paced
4.0
This book was a fun, light read. After you read it, you'll think "Duh! This seems like common sense!" which is why I liked it and thought it was a fun, easy read. A lot of parenting is intuitive, but sometimes you can use a reminder or outside advice.
For me, it gave me a new way of thinking about how to distinguish between the slightly naughty and genuinely bad behaviors. For kids, it's hard to tell the difference between a "No" said when a kid jumps in a puddle verses runs into a busy street. If you're up on your parenting game, maybe it wouldn't be a worthwhile read, but it was for me.
I actually liked the memoir style. I didn't pick up the book expecting a data-driven writing style. The memoir aspect made it more readable and fun.
For me, it gave me a new way of thinking about how to distinguish between the slightly naughty and genuinely bad behaviors. For kids, it's hard to tell the difference between a "No" said when a kid jumps in a puddle verses runs into a busy street. If you're up on your parenting game, maybe it wouldn't be a worthwhile read, but it was for me.
I actually liked the memoir style. I didn't pick up the book expecting a data-driven writing style. The memoir aspect made it more readable and fun.
dorynickel's review against another edition
4.0
I adored this book. Sure, it's not full of scientific research on how to raise a child, but it reads more like a memoir than a manual, which I appreciated. And sure, the ideas are proven, but that's the point! They're good ideas that are worth exploring. This brought me a lot of comfort about being a stricter parent than your instincts might tell you to be.
janu0303's review against another edition
4.0
Really interesting book. If I ever wanted kids, I'm getting the French to raise them.
lovelymisanthrope's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
5.0
I heard about this book from someone I follow online and was immediately intrigued.
"Bringing Up Bebe" is a nonfiction book that follows one American journalist as she raises her children in France. Pamela's husband is Parisian, and the pair moved to France to begin their lives. After having her daughter, Pamela learned quickly that the French approach to parenting is entirely different compared to Americans. Motherhood itself is treated entirely differently as well. This book presents some of the highlights Pamela learned during her first few years of motherhood.
One of the topics that interested me the most in this book was the discussions on food. Children are not fed a different "kid friendly" diet, they are presented the same food their parents are eating, in the same way the adults are eating. If the child does not want to eat that item, they do not have to, but they will not be given a different food. I love this idea that there is one meal, and the family ALL eat together. I think this gives children the opportunity to explore better foods earlier on, and they develop into "better" eaters overall.
Another notable topic was the discussion surrounding sleep. French babies tend to sleep through the night by a few months old because their parents know how to read their cues. I am sure for a new parent it is hard at first to discern between different baby cries, but the French have mastered the art of knowing when a baby needs soothed back to sleep and when baby just woke up for a moment between sleep cycles.
One section that had me screaming "yes" was when the author was comparing French children specifically to New York City parenting in regard to tutors and after school activities. One French mother the author talked to pulled her child out of activities because it did not fit into her schedule, which is not uncommon. Something that has become very common in America is this idea of competitive parenting and constantly having your child tutored in obscure topics. A child only gets to be a child for a very short time, so shouldn't they just get to enjoy it?
I do not think there is one right way to parent, but I really resonated with this book and the ideals that French parenting presents.
"Bringing Up Bebe" is a nonfiction book that follows one American journalist as she raises her children in France. Pamela's husband is Parisian, and the pair moved to France to begin their lives. After having her daughter, Pamela learned quickly that the French approach to parenting is entirely different compared to Americans. Motherhood itself is treated entirely differently as well. This book presents some of the highlights Pamela learned during her first few years of motherhood.
One of the topics that interested me the most in this book was the discussions on food. Children are not fed a different "kid friendly" diet, they are presented the same food their parents are eating, in the same way the adults are eating. If the child does not want to eat that item, they do not have to, but they will not be given a different food. I love this idea that there is one meal, and the family ALL eat together. I think this gives children the opportunity to explore better foods earlier on, and they develop into "better" eaters overall.
Another notable topic was the discussion surrounding sleep. French babies tend to sleep through the night by a few months old because their parents know how to read their cues. I am sure for a new parent it is hard at first to discern between different baby cries, but the French have mastered the art of knowing when a baby needs soothed back to sleep and when baby just woke up for a moment between sleep cycles.
One section that had me screaming "yes" was when the author was comparing French children specifically to New York City parenting in regard to tutors and after school activities. One French mother the author talked to pulled her child out of activities because it did not fit into her schedule, which is not uncommon. Something that has become very common in America is this idea of competitive parenting and constantly having your child tutored in obscure topics. A child only gets to be a child for a very short time, so shouldn't they just get to enjoy it?
I do not think there is one right way to parent, but I really resonated with this book and the ideals that French parenting presents.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pregnancy
Minor: Toxic friendship and Classism
andyreadsfantasy's review against another edition
4.0
I listened to the audiobook, which I thought was pretty good. I enjoyed Druckerman’s observations. I wish she would have talked more about the child psychology instead of just talking about what was observed. Yes, she tried to understand the “French” reasoning - but usually there is a psychological explanation for what she was talking about.
I thought this book gave some good practical observations, especially about sleep and food. Probably not best to blindly do everything exactly as she says, but Druckerman definitely gives some good food for thought. If you are a new parent, I would recommend this book.
I thought this book gave some good practical observations, especially about sleep and food. Probably not best to blindly do everything exactly as she says, but Druckerman definitely gives some good food for thought. If you are a new parent, I would recommend this book.
shawna_jo's review against another edition
4.0
I can see why this book would rub some people the wrong way, but I enjoyed it. I am under no impression that the US is the best no matter what and in every category, so I enjoyed learning from another culture. Do the French have it 100% figured out? Probably not, but there were lots of little nuggets of wisdom I will be taking with me as I begin my parenting journey. My main takeaway? "Chill out," as the Americans would say. In an age of helicopter parents, overscheduling kids, and being terrified of doing the wrong thing, this book gives you permission to chill. Take a pause before you rush to your crying baby. Are they just between sleep cycles, or is there really something wrong? Let your kids make mistakes, fall down, etc and let them learn from that situation instead of rushing in to prevent any negative emotion from ever happening. Let your kids be kids. Do they really need a scheduled activity every evening or would they learn just as much from playing or reading on their own? While I am talking the big talk now, I am sure I will still have some of those gut instincts to jump in immediately as has been engrained into US parenting culture but hopefully, I can remember to just "chill" when baby gets here.