Parenting in France

I was already working mostly remotely as a consultant when we moved to France from the UK, and managed to retain my client. I work around 20-hours a week to give me time with my primary-school aged children. This has been invaluable in France - not only because there's no school on a Wednesday afternoon, but also to have time to just be with them and support them through the change.

Taking time to just play and relax with them was vital especially in the first six months plus, when they didn't speak the language and were finding school hard, not just academically but socially as well. Removing them from established friendships to a new country where making new friends wasn't so easy meant some hard times. I needed patience and empathy and they needed lots of love and reassurance. Without wanting to make a big 'thing' about it, I was aware that my children just needed me more. Family time, days out and down time were also especially important.

I think I've seen my children as the people they are becoming and empathised more with who they are rather than as 'my kids'. Equally it's not been super easy for us adults all the time, and I've reminded them that I am a person, separate from being their mum, too! I think remembering that we are all individuals, with different personalities, different ways of coping, has been a bonding experience for us. What works well for one child isn't necessarily the ultimate thing for the other.

Being further away from family, and from the support of established friends, is a challenge. The tutor I found for our girls has really helped. Not only has she helped with their language and school work, but she's very kind and they have really opened to her, which has been a great confidence booster for them, and a backbone of quiet support for me.