French Parents: Vive La Difference?

“Sixteen years ago, when my first child was born in Paris, I baby-proofed our apartment with rubber edge liners, covers on electrical sockets, latches on windows, locks on drawers and toilet seat guards. The parts of our living room that weren't bound and shackled were filled with happy, fluorescent kiddie toys. My French neighbor Genevieve took one look at our place and said: "Your apartment looks like a psych ward." This was one of several lessons I'd learn about how the French parent differently from us.” An interesting article. While I do admit that any unused outlet in my house had the baby-proof thing PLUS a layer of duct tape, for the most part, I lean toward the French style, and that is why my kids are so well-behaved. I took them to picket lines and protests, to IWW meetings and political rallies , and not only did they behave well, but they also had a really good time. A bottle of bubble blowing stuff, some crayons and coloring books, snacks and drinks... My kids could pack a protest/picket line backpack in 10 minutes flat.