11 Surprising Reasons Why You Should Try French-style Parenting

Benefits of French-style Parenting Techniques

Some of the benefits of French parenting practices are:

1. It Develops Coping Skills

The French-style parenting system is convinced that frustration is good – allow your kid to experience it because it may help her cope in unfavourable situations. French parents maintain that praising often might dilute its effect, making it meaningless. Most parents tend to praise everything their kids do, because they are afraid of hurting their feelings. However, French parenting encourages the use of praise when a kid does something truly worthwhile, giving her a sense of accomplishment. Similarly, kids should be expected to eat whatever has been cooked for the family and not demand something different, thus teaching discipline.

2. It Promotes Patience

Patience is an important virtue that can help kids overcome stress and anger. It allows the delaying of judgement so the she can make informed decisions, paving the way for a happy and peaceful life. A kid’s aptitude to resist an instant prize and wait for something better predicts improved social, educational and health outcomes. Thus, French parenting maintains that kids must wait their turn to speak in the middle of a conversation, for their parents’ attention, for dinner, or for the teacher to answer their query. It teaches them to tolerate delays sans anxiety and indignation.

3. It Endorses the Balancing of Needs

The French-style technique of parenting helps a kid understand that parents have a life beyond him and his needs – adult time is not only valid but also necessary, and requires no justification. It encourages parents to take time off and spend it as they desire and not believe that they are slaves to their kid’s schedule. This attitude is highly likely to encourage your kid to get things into perspective – if she observes you and your partner taking some time to do things you enjoy, it might develop a sense of needing to balance things in her own life as well.

4. It Fosters Responsibility

French-style parenting does not consider sugar-coating for kids. If your kid forgets her permission slip signed for her trip, or misplaces her belongings, or scores low marks, she needs to deal with it. Suffering penalties for little misfortunes will make your kid think twice before overlooking or forgetting something important. It can prepare her to handle real-life situations and mishaps in a mature way. French-style parenting upholds that difficult experiences can be great learning opportunities as they can make kids resilient. In fact, trying to shelter your kid from painful events can only disrupt her emotional development.

5. It Furthers Physical Endurance

The French pay heed to physical activity among kids. They encourage kids to engage in quality time outdoors for a healthy body and mind. So, motivate your kid to get out her scooter, bike or sneakers and get moving! You can walk her to school, take her with you to a market nearby, and enrol her to practice a sport. French-style parenting discourages convenient pick-ups or drops by parents in their cars, especially if the distance is short.

6. It Avoids Overburdening The Child

The French-style parenting approach does not support involving kids in too many extra-curricular activities to the point where they have no breathing space! It believes in keeping leisure time for kids which can help boost creativity and inventiveness.

7. It Encourages Involvement in House Management

French parents coax their kids to get more involved in household activities like setting the table, shopping for groceries, mowing the lawn, and taking out the garbage. Kids are part of the family, and therefore must contribute and participate in the everyday functioning of the house.

8. It Teaches That Family Time is Valuable

Families that spend quality time together are likely to help children shape an optimistic sense of self-respect. For example, family dinner time is special – everyone must make an effort be present for it. In case it is not possible for everyone to be together every evening, members must schedule a lunch or dinner, followed by a walk, bike ride, or simply a chatting session with each other. Family activities need not be luxurious or expensive to be meaningful. When your kid feels valued by you as a parent, she is more likely to feel confident about herself.

9. It Solidifies Sibling Relationships

French-style parenting encourages family to help each other. For instance, older siblings walking their younger siblings to school, helping out with school work, or serving them food on the table – all this serves to cement the bond between siblings as they learn to be supportive of each other. It may not only make your kid more self-sufficient, but also lessen her demands from you.

10. It Inculcates Good Manners

French parents are huge on manners – they are simply non-negotiable. They raise their children to be well-behaved under all circumstances. Thus, every kid is expected to introduce herself, use courtesy words like ‘thank you’ and ‘please’ while dealing with others, greet everyone, maintain eye contact, and exhibit table manners. Developing social manners right from childhood can benefit your kid in becoming a good human being and construct healthy personal relationships with others. The sense of discipline spills over to dressing too. Parents ensure that kids always dress suitably for the occasion. For example, kids need to dress correctly even in the absence of a uniform. If they attend a birthday party, they must wear their best.

11. It Nurtures Autonomy

Kids often discover ways in which they can do things, but well-intentioned parents may thwart her budding autonomy by offering to do everything for her. French parenting, on the other hand, proposes that your kid is likely to feel self-assured when she does things on her own. By rushing to her help every time she is stuck, you might be preventing her from learning how to do things and gaining self-confidence in the process. Providing a sense of autonomy to your child may also strengthen her toughness and determination.

Some people believe that the French-style of parenting is too authoritative and strict as compared to parenting styles that support soft behaviour moulding. But what works for some parents may not necessarily work for others. Regardless, all parents strive to perform their duty and play their part in the best way possible. Exploring the French way can be a means for you to do the best thing for your kid.

Also Read: How to Make Co-Parenting Work Effectively?