There are some little things Sam and I noticed, while in France, that I dont want to forget. They were observations for me highlighted, after reading 'French Kids Eat Everything' by Karen Le Billon. Things beyond just food, which made my time there so much more amazing.
I hadn't realized the impact on me, till in getting back home, how Ive noticed a small shift in my sense of normal.
The first chance I had, on Day one of arriving into St Remi Les Chevreuse, was to walk into the village and past the local school. It was playtime, so young children were running around playing. I paused for a while, to watch them interact. There was nothing that seemed strange to me.. cute kids interacting normally... but then I caught it. They werent exactly running. They werent hyped or scatty, there was a calm and order, even in their play.
From there, we walked 100m down the road where preschool children were gathered, in what looked like a shop with a window. This very one, in fact!
.
All the toys and play area was laid out tidily and glass was across the front so anyone could see in. I looked for the shop sign, but there was none. And then I noticed that all the young children (aged around 2-4) were seated around a small table, with a few adults, eating. Once again, there was order. There wasnt food everywhere... kids werent getting up or walking around. They were seated and slowly being fed their lunch, by one of the adults with them.
We walked on through town and went back that way, a while later. There they still were, sitting and still eating. I marvelled. No rush, no impatience, no scrambled sense of urgency. It was so lovely to see I just wanted to sit down and watch them for the next hour. I wondered how many preschools in NZ we would be happy to put in the town centre with a ceiling to floor glass window for all passing by to see?
French children and the French in general are never in a hurry to eat. There are no rushed and gulped down meals, no panic. Lunch times are for eating. You arent expected to achieve anything beyond enjoying a fully cooked meal, that is standardly provided to you at your work place, or school place. My Aunty Louise explained that its not just about the nourishment. Its just as much about the socialization, a chance to enjoyably interact with your colleagues and peers.
The times that I did get to see French kids eating, I noticed there meals consisted of the same things adults would eat. I had to look twice when I noticed two young children at a salad with their forks, eagerly devouring it. Their enjoyment had me thinking twice about how we tend to limit our children's meals to simplistic alternatives.
Being there also made me very glad for the time Id taken to instill in Tim and Amy the rules of French eating and encouraged me to keep it up further when we returned home.
The following day, we walked through Trocadero, which gave me opportunity to see parents interacting with their children. Some school children were out and about on excursions, dressed in beautiful clothes. Their attire was tasteful and tidy. There wasnt a mass of loud and kiddy colours, in fact, you and I would have worn anything they were wearing. On a whole, they appeared as children in training to be adults and dressed thus. Practical and tasteful. I loved it! We passed a park where two mothers were talking while their girls played on the swings and grass area there. I glanced and then and noticed one wee girl wearing white pants. WHITE pants! I swung back around to look thinking "she will never keep them clean" and then allowed myself to be amused. She likely would. They dont eat on the go. They are normal kids, but its expected that they wont run around like silly uncontrolled kids.
Adults had the same etiquette. We arrived on lunch hour so watched from our cafe, as many business people walked by, men and woman. We probably saw at least 200 people walk by. Not one was eating on the go. I counted one woman who had a McDonalds bag closed and clutched in her hand and I smiled as she walked with it, almost hiding it embarrassed.
They too had a meticulous dress code. It wasnt showy. Woman were modest and well dressed and tidy. It was so refreshing!!
Shopping too was a completely different story. As we walked around, Sam and I tried to put our finger on what was different. Eventually Sam figured it. There wasnt a single store with loud blaring music. Not one! I recall a couple of French restaurants quietly playing music, but it was tasteful, mellow and there to accentuate atmosphere. You barely noticed it. As a result, one slowed down.
The ease in the pace, got me wondering about one final thing I discovered. Allergies are unheard of in France. I was aware of it particularly because Im allergic to honey. My Aunty Louise explained that this is foreign to the French and she had never heard of gluten or wheat intolerance in her entire time of living there. She didnt have a single friend she knew, that had an allergy of any description!!
I came home convinced that we significantly underestimate the affect of our adrenal glands on our wellbeing. I noticed the first shop we visited in London, after arriving on the Eurostar out of Paris, that music was beating loud and fast. My heart literally started racing and I felt panicked and driven with a sense of urgency. Sam felt it too and commented, pointing out what a difference it makes. I noticed food was eaten on the streets again and litter was everywhere. Complexions were more dull and problematic. It made me stand back to consider how there is a lesson in all of this.
My Aunty Louise explained that the French spend a lot on food. Even those on a small budget. Food would be their number one expense. They dont just buy food because they like good food, but because eating around the table together, is one of the most poignant and building aspects of family and work life.
Coming home, Ive begun to translate these things into my daily life. I take the time to dress the kids tidily in the morning. I keep the music and noise off. Around the table, I try to encourage them to slow down. Ive pulled out the placemats and instead of being just for good, they are on my table all the time along with the serviettes. I encourage the kids to talk less, and to talk quieter. Im quicker to intervene if I hear escalation in their interaction. And most importantly, Ive slowed down. I make a point to not rush. To not exist on a permanent adrenalin output... but to allow myself the space to rest and even dare I say it, sometimes sit and read.
Its lovely. You should try it!!
There are some little things Sam and I noticed, while in France, that I dont want to forget. They were observations for me highlighted, after reading 'French Kids Eat Everything' by Karen Le Billon. Things beyond just food, which made my time there so much more amazing.
I hadn't realized the impact on me, till in getting back home, how Ive noticed a small shift in my sense of normal.
The first chance I had, on Day one of arriving into St Remi Les Chevreuse, was to walk into the village and past the local school. It was playtime, so young children were running around playing. I paused for a while, to watch them interact. There was nothing that seemed strange to me.. cute kids interacting normally... but then I caught it. They werent exactly running. They werent hyped or scatty, there was a calm and order, even in their play.
From there, we walked 100m down the road where preschool children were gathered, in what looked like a shop with a window. This very one, in fact! 
.
All the toys and play area was laid out tidily and glass was across the front so anyone could see in. I looked for the shop sign, but there was none. And then I noticed that all the young children (aged around 2-4) were seated around a small table, with a few adults, eating. Once again, there was order. There wasnt food everywhere... kids werent getting up or walking around. They were seated and slowly being fed their lunch, by one of the adults with them.
We walked on through town and went back that way, a while later. There they still were, sitting and still eating. I marvelled. No rush, no impatience, no scrambled sense of urgency. It was so lovely to see I just wanted to sit down and watch them for the next hour. I wondered how many preschools in NZ we would be happy to put in the town centre with a ceiling to floor glass window for all passing by to see?
French children and the French in general are never in a hurry to eat. There are no rushed and gulped down meals, no panic. Lunch times are for eating. You arent expected to achieve anything beyond enjoying a fully cooked meal, that is standardly provided to you at your work place, or school place. My Aunty Louise explained that its not just about the nourishment. Its just as much about the socialization, a chance to enjoyably interact with your colleagues and peers.
The times that I did get to see French kids eating, I noticed there meals consisted of the same things adults would eat. I had to look twice when I noticed two young children at a salad with their forks, eagerly devouring it. Their enjoyment had me thinking twice about how we tend to limit our children's meals to simplistic alternatives.
Being there also made me very glad for the time Id taken to instill in Tim and Amy the rules of French eating and encouraged me to keep it up further when we returned home.
The following day, we walked through Trocadero, which gave me opportunity to see parents interacting with their children. Some school children were out and about on excursions, dressed in beautiful clothes. Their attire was tasteful and tidy. There wasnt a mass of loud and kiddy colours, in fact, you and I would have worn anything they were wearing. On a whole, they appeared as children in training to be adults and dressed thus. Practical and tasteful. I loved it! We passed a park where two mothers were talking while their girls played on the swings and grass area there. I glanced and then and noticed one wee girl wearing white pants. WHITE pants! I swung back around to look thinking "she will never keep them clean" and then allowed myself to be amused. She likely would. They dont eat on the go. They are normal kids, but its expected that they wont run around like silly uncontrolled kids.
Adults had the same etiquette. We arrived on lunch hour so watched from our cafe, as many business people walked by, men and woman. We probably saw at least 200 people walk by. Not one was eating on the go. I counted one woman who had a McDonalds bag closed and clutched in her hand and I smiled as she walked with it, almost hiding it embarrassed.
They too had a meticulous dress code. It wasnt showy. Woman were modest and well dressed and tidy. It was so refreshing!!
Shopping too was a completely different story. As we walked around, Sam and I tried to put our finger on what was different. Eventually Sam figured it. There wasnt a single store with loud blaring music. Not one! I recall a couple of French restaurants quietly playing music, but it was tasteful, mellow and there to accentuate atmosphere. You barely noticed it. As a result, one slowed down.
The ease in the pace, got me wondering about one final thing I discovered. Allergies are unheard of in France. I was aware of it particularly because Im allergic to honey. My Aunty Louise explained that this is foreign to the French and she had never heard of gluten or wheat intolerance in her entire time of living there. She didnt have a single friend she knew, that had an allergy of any description!!
I came home convinced that we significantly underestimate the affect of our adrenal glands on our wellbeing. I noticed the first shop we visited in London, after arriving on the Eurostar out of Paris, that music was beating loud and fast. My heart literally started racing and I felt panicked and driven with a sense of urgency. Sam felt it too and commented, pointing out what a difference it makes. I noticed food was eaten on the streets again and litter was everywhere. Complexions were more dull and problematic. It made me stand back to consider how there is a lesson in all of this.
My Aunty Louise explained that the French spend a lot on food. Even those on a small budget. Food would be their number one expense. They dont just buy food because they like good food, but because eating around the table together, is one of the most poignant and building aspects of family and work life.
Coming home, Ive begun to translate these things into my daily life. I take the time to dress the kids tidily in the morning. I keep the music and noise off. Around the table, I try to encourage them to slow down. Ive pulled out the placemats and instead of being just for good, they are on my table all the time along with the serviettes. I encourage the kids to talk less, and to talk quieter. Im quicker to intervene if I hear escalation in their interaction. And most importantly, Ive slowed down. I make a point to not rush. To not exist on a permanent adrenalin output... but to allow myself the space to rest and even dare I say it, sometimes sit and read.
Its lovely. You should try it!!
No comments:
Post a Comment