My French Moment

I was out and about today with the little Squishy, we had everything we needed and as we arrived back at the car I looked down to see a beautiful sleeping baby. Waking a sleeping baby is a regrettable thing. Walking past a coffee shop that overlooks the water when you have a sleeping baby is an even more regrettable thing.

So I took a seat, ordered myself a coffee and a passion-fruit melting moment and broke out some articles I had been wanting to read.

I was feeling very French. Well, not entirely French, according to Pamela Druckerman, author of French Children Don't Throw Food', a Parisian woman would have lost her baby weight three months post-part-em and would not consider eating a passion-fruit melting moment with her morning coffee. Alright, so not so French given the muffin top protruding from my jeans, but still a little French in that I was enjoying a peaceful moment of serenity with child in tow - apparently the norm for French parents.

This moment was made all the more poignant by the mother behind me, who trying to enjoy the same experience had her little girl climbing over chairs, squealing out loud and trying to climb the railing. My presence raised her anxiety levels even further as she tried to quiet her little girl, so my moment wouldn't be ruined - bless her cotton socks. When she did finally leave, she smiled, apologised for the noise and said: "Mothers need these moments. I hope we didn't disturb yours". I smiled and wished her a lovely day.

I wonder if she thought this my 'norm'? So not! I took the little Squishy for coffee with a friend two days earlier, he wriggled and squirmed the whole time, banging toys on the table and throwing them hither and yon. Moments of silence were purchased when he got to lick small amounts of cream cheese frosting from my finger tip - yet another thing a French mother would never do.

If you fancy the lifestyle of the French mother read more about it here and here and stay tuned for further updates as I read further into the mysteries of French parenting.

Post inspired by Pamela Druckerman, author of 'French Children Don't Throw Food: Parenting Secrets from Paris'.