Pamela Druckerman

Bringing Up Bébé

1. IDEA 1

   French parenting seemed different

   Druckerman, an American journalist raising children in Paris, noticed that many French children seemed calm, patient and well-behaved. She set out to understand how French parents approached raising them. Her book grew out of that curiosity.

2. IDEA 2

   Babies learned to sleep

   Druckerman describes how many French parents expected babies to sleep through the night early. She describes the practice of pausing before responding to a crying baby. In her account, this was seen as helping babies learn to settle themselves.

3. IDEA 3

   Children learned to wait

   Druckerman argues that French parents taught children patience from an early age. Waiting was seen as an important skill. In her account, small delays at the table or in shops were treated as normal, not as something to avoid.

All 8 ideas from Bringing Up Bébé →