I decided to start an evening book club so that I have another excuse to have a night out:) The first book we read was "Bringing up Bebe" by Pamela Druckerman. My friend Laine had high praises of this book and I was particularly drawn to it because it's about a New Yorker who married a Brit and they moved to Paris to raise a family.
It was definitely cool to read about an ex-pat family raising a child for the first time abroad. And since the French style of parenting is so unique, I enjoyed gaining some insight into their methods. Did you know that even as babies they eat 4 course meals for lunch and dinner? Did you know that if a toddler doesn't say "Bonjour" to another adult, it's socially unacceptable? And did you know that they don't teach the alphabet or count until the children go to elementary school? Rather they focus on teaching them how to communicate and socialize in those early years instead of shoving letters and numbers down their throat. It was very cool to learn the ins and outs of parenting abroad when they are different customs at play.
I sometimes feel like a fish out of water raising Riya. We're American, yes, but we're also Indian. And we live in a melting pot city raising a child without any influences around us. Turns out I have employed some of the French parenting philosophies without even knowing it. I'm impressed with myself :)
If I could sum up the book (and my biggest take away) in one line, the author says it perfectly, "I want my kids to be self-reliant, resilient, and happy. I just don't want to let go of their hands."
Looking forward to one of many more book clubs to come! Our next book is called "Nine Parts of Desire: The Hidden World of Islamic Women" by Geraldine Brooks. Can't wait to delve in!
It was definitely cool to read about an ex-pat family raising a child for the first time abroad. And since the French style of parenting is so unique, I enjoyed gaining some insight into their methods. Did you know that even as babies they eat 4 course meals for lunch and dinner? Did you know that if a toddler doesn't say "Bonjour" to another adult, it's socially unacceptable? And did you know that they don't teach the alphabet or count until the children go to elementary school? Rather they focus on teaching them how to communicate and socialize in those early years instead of shoving letters and numbers down their throat. It was very cool to learn the ins and outs of parenting abroad when they are different customs at play.
I sometimes feel like a fish out of water raising Riya. We're American, yes, but we're also Indian. And we live in a melting pot city raising a child without any influences around us. Turns out I have employed some of the French parenting philosophies without even knowing it. I'm impressed with myself :)
If I could sum up the book (and my biggest take away) in one line, the author says it perfectly, "I want my kids to be self-reliant, resilient, and happy. I just don't want to let go of their hands."
Looking forward to one of many more book clubs to come! Our next book is called "Nine Parts of Desire: The Hidden World of Islamic Women" by Geraldine Brooks. Can't wait to delve in!
I read this too and liked their style but easier said than done so we shall see what happens:)
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