Bringing Up Bébé

One American Mother Discovers the Wisdom of French Parenting

By: Pamela Druckerman

Narrated by: Abby Craden

Length: 9 hrs and 8 mins

Publisher's summary

The secret behind France's astonishingly well-behaved children is here.

When American journalist Pamela Druckerman has a baby in Paris, she doesn't aspire to become a "French parent". French parenting isn't a known thing, like French fashion or French cheese. Even French parents themselves insist they aren't doing anything special.

Yet the French children Druckerman knows sleep through the night at two or three months old while those of her American friends take a year or more. French kids eat well-rounded meals that are more likely to include braised leeks than chicken nuggets. And while her American friends spend their visits resolving spats between their kids, her French friends sip coffee while the kids play.

Motherhood itself is a whole different experience in France. There's no role model, as there is in America, for the harried new mom with no life of her own. French mothers assume that even good parents aren't at the constant service of their children and that there's no need to feel guilty about this. They have an easy, calm authority with their kids that Druckerman can only envy.

Of course, French parenting wouldn't be worth talking about if it produced robotic, joyless children. In fact, French kids are just as boisterous, curious, and creative as Americans. They're just far better behaved and more in command of themselves. While some American toddlers are getting Mandarin tutors and preliteracy training, French kids are - by design - toddling around and discovering the world at their own pace.

With a notebook stashed in her diaper bag, Druckerman, a former reporter for The Wall Street Journal, sets out to learn the secrets to raising a society of good little sleepers, gourmet eaters, and reasonably relaxed parents. She discovers that French parents are extremely strict about some things and strikingly permissive about others. And she realizes that to be a different kind of parent, you don't just need a different parenting philosophy. You need a very different view of what a child actually is.

While finding her own firm non, Druckerman discovers that children - including her own - are capable of feats she'd never imagined.

©2012 Pamela Druckerman (P)2012 Random House

thumbs up

I liked it. This book gives a glimpse into the French way of parenting. It turns out there is a lot to admire and emulate. The author did a good job of high-lighting the things that drive me crazy about what a lot of Americans moms tend to do (I'm guilty!), but in a light way. I don't see this book's premise as a another reason to feel bad as parents, though. I look at it as food for thought. Speaking of food, I've been introducing more variety w/ my kids (based on the French way),...voila! it worked!

Light and Entertaining

I listen to audiobooks when I run or do housework, so I prefer something that is a little light and easy to digest in chunks here and there. This book (and recording) fit the bill.

If you are a mother who is a little annoyed by all of the hyper-parenting going on around you, then you will enjoy this book. I found some of Druckerman's insights very interesting, especially the part about the French national eating schedule and how this encourages patience.

The one thing that was annoying to me is when the narrator used a thick French accent when relaying something a French person said. The accent sounded too over-emphasized and fake, like she was over acting. Other than that, a very quick and enjoyable listen.

Hope for the American father.

If you could sum up Bringing Up Bebe in three words, what would they be?

Counter intuitive & interesting

What was one of the most memorable moments of Bringing Up Bebe?

It is all memorable, I keep discussing it with my wife!

What about Abby Craden’s performance did you like?

Well done, loved the accents :-)

Any additional comments?

With everyone over the age of 40 telling me that you entire world will change with kids I find this book comforting. Though a child may change things, it does not have to mean the end of your world, but rather an addition to it. This book gives me hope for a well behaved sage kid.

Very worthwhile and entertaining

I wish I heard the book when my kids were smaller! I would highly recommend it to parents of young children.

Great parenting book

Really enjoyed this! Wish there was a bit more on discipline but otherwise it was stellar. I got more out of this than many of the more American style parenting books. Highly recommend!

Great perspective to parenting with a fun storyline

As North American parents raising a high energy and curious 1 year old we found this book charming, insightful and a great perspective to a structured but empowering way to parent.

Get this!!

If you or any one you love is having a baby and wants advice along with an amusing story, GET THIS BOOK. I think I have given this book to at least 2 dozen people already. Not exaggerating. Pamela Druckerman has extremely useful information pertaining to raising children who sleep, eat well, and don't whine. Why wouldn't you want to read it too? I just had my first baby and used her advice and ended up with NO STRETCH MARKS. Genetically, I should have probably gotten them, but I didn't. It's truly worth the read and entertaining. If you get into the book and feel like she is rambling, there is a method to her madness... persist!

The best parenting book!!

I am so happy I found this book!
The ideas are both “common sense” and revolutionary (ie would not come naturally to an American because of the examples we have).
I am expecting my first and this is exactly how I want to parent, but wouldn’t think it possible unless I had read this book.
I will be recommend it to every pregnant friend (although not people who already have kids as they might take it as a reproof of their parenting style).
I love the mix of advice from parents and advice from science/experts.
It is also an entertaining story (most parenting books are painful to listen to).
The narrator was (I thought) great, I found no fault with her French accent (although I’m not French), and liked that she used it to distinguish narration from quotes.

So informative!

Very impressed with this books fun and very useful information! Listened to the whole book in a weekend and already started to implement a few techniques. As a first time mom, I’m doing what my American friends do... and failing in so many aspects! I have certainly gained confidence to say No and stick to rules. Thank you to the author!!!

Accents

The observations and research are helpful and overlap with The Danish Way of Parenting, although this was more thorough and helpful because it touched on all the practical concerns: eating, sleeping, daycare, etc.
I don't know if anyone else found the narration somewhat offensive: why did the narrator need to switch to a bad faux french accent for the quoted parts?