tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2424131704277823220.post2157784854534615599..comments2023-09-23T11:16:00.352+02:00Comments on The Franco-American Flophouse has moved: Wednesdays in the HexagonVictoria FERAUGEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16319699673885400472noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2424131704277823220.post-91869281955928198822013-11-14T18:21:24.046+01:002013-11-14T18:21:24.046+01:00Do you remember the patchwork of daycare that you ...<br />Do you remember the patchwork of daycare that you and your brother received because I was working and the US does not have a good handle on providing competent daycare options for working parents. I perceive the problem to be political - In the US we have political factions that would have us believe that mom belongs at home. This fantasy continues to operate in the face of considerable economic pressure that has created the two job family. While some of us were pursuing a career many of the woman are working in low compensation jobs to keep bread on the table. Not much joy or career advancement there. To spice things up for working parents we continue to have Parent Teacher conferences and teacher training days added for an additional challenge for the working parents. But the catch as catch can American daycare arrangements do provided good entertainment at the family dinner table as adult child talk about what really went on at day-care when the parents weren't around. Often nothing terrible shocking just not quite as it was presented to the fee paying parents. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2424131704277823220.post-22098420970866393132013-11-14T08:44:25.277+01:002013-11-14T08:44:25.277+01:00@anonymous, I agree wholeheartedly. Where we hav...@anonymous, I agree wholeheartedly. Where we have to be care is distinguishing between wholesale Americanization/globalization and the natural evolution of culture. All cultures change over time and France is like any other place in that respect. Perhaps it's just because I lived in both places but I see a lot of Japanese influence here in France. The two get along very well and seem to have a lot of admiration for each other. Borrowing just seems natural and right. But I don't see the Japanese telling the French "be like us or suffer the consequences."<br /><br />@Catherine, That's a very good question. I think what makes it easier in France to survive on one income (and I know quite a few couples who do this) is that there isn't the constant barrage of commerce. There are no ads in the schools, no assault on the senses as one walks down the street saying "guy this" and even the big chains like McDonalds have to keep their shops and signs discreet. I'm still amazed at how much money we do not spend, my spouse and I, here and how that changes when we hit North America. <br /><br />@christophe, The fun of being a migrant (ora part anyway) is finding stuff out - especially stuff that the natives take for granted. :-)<br />I see what you mean about the 5 day a week not being necessarily better for families. In elementary school we got out at around 3 PM which meant, of course, that my mother had to make arrangement for childcare so she could work. Her solutions were very similar to what we did in France: local stay at home moms and the like.<br /><br />@celia, I have the same reaction in the US. If I show up at a shop and it's closed, it bother me. Here, I show up, it's closed and I just shrug and note when it will be open. The pharmacy, for example, closes for 2 hours for lunch. The small bookstore closes whenever the owner feels like taking a day off and the tobacco store owners take a few weeks off in summer. :-)Victoria FERAUGEhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16319699673885400472noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2424131704277823220.post-41580593809913651762013-11-14T06:56:53.535+01:002013-11-14T06:56:53.535+01:00funny, french living in the US, I do not understan...funny, french living in the US, I do not understand why stores should be closed Sunday or even at 6pm... How will I survive! When I was living in Paris, La Poste was open until 8pm, SuperG until 10pm, it was so great for someone like me working 12hours a day. For school, I d not get the US system, seems they start too early and finish too early, but I do not have kids so...Celiahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04451705513876550664noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2424131704277823220.post-22763206511636682142013-11-14T06:45:31.483+01:002013-11-14T06:45:31.483+01:00Wow, you keep impressing me, Victoria. You even ta...Wow, you keep impressing me, Victoria. You even taught me about Claude Lelièvre and the orginal Thursdays.<br />I remember my lecons de catechisme on Wednesdays.<br /><br />I was surprised of the school days in the US, which I think is not too adapted to kid's well being. I think starting school at 7:45am is quite early. My oldest son, who is in 1st grade has lunch at 10:15am and his lunch break is somewhat short when compared to France! And school ends very early at 2:45pm.<br />My wife argues that the children' attention spam is better in the morning. Plus my children wake up really early in the morning (6am), so starting school at 7:45 is not necessary that early for them.<br />I wouln'd say that it is better suited to a dual income household. When kids get off that early in the afternoon, you need some after school care.<br />Yes, it's true that they work 5 straight days, and it can be tiring. A break in the middle would certainly help.<br />As for working all the time, things might be changing a bit in the US. There is starting to be some outrage about some store's opening hours for Thanksgiving. As for respecting Sunday's rest, it depends on the stores. Some stores like Ace Hardware and Hobby Lobby I think are closed on Sunday for family and workship reasons. But it is definitely not widespread like in France.<br />Thanks for a great post.Christophenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2424131704277823220.post-86111391812756913552013-11-13T17:27:24.672+01:002013-11-13T17:27:24.672+01:00While I don't live in France, I find your post...While I don't live in France, I find your post fascinating. It feels like everything in Canada is now designed around the idea of a dual income family. That's okay, but it does make me wonder - when did we need to have two incomes to survive financially, when before it was only one? Anyhow, that's a whole other conversation... But what an interesting post/perspective you've shared. Thanks!Catherinehttp://www.facingcancer.canoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2424131704277823220.post-53813551900408829162013-11-13T14:41:23.221+01:002013-11-13T14:41:23.221+01:00Hear, hear!
Great post Victoria. It so eloquently...Hear, hear!<br />Great post Victoria. It so eloquently reflects my feelings. We have a quality of life - a "douce France" - and I worry that it is slowly but surely disappearing into the globalization black hole. <br />The USA is a fine nation, but that doesn't mean that American culture and values should be "copie/collé" to the 191 other nations that share this planet.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com