When you're wondering whether she's his daughter or his girlfriend, she's his girlfriend.

French parents are very concerned about their kids. They know about pedophiles, allergies, and choking hazards. They take reasonable precautions. But they aren't panicked about their children's well-being. This calmer outlook makes them better at both establishing boundaries and giving their kids some autonomy.

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.

There are no grown-ups....Everyone is winging it, some just do it more confidently.

You will miss out on some near soul mates. This goes for friendships, too. There will be unforgettable people with whom you have shared an excellent evening or a few days. Now they live in Hong Kong, and you will never see them again. That’s just how life is.

If you worry less about what people think of you, you can pick up an astonishing amount of information about them. You no longer leave conversations wondering what just happened. Other people's minds and motives are finally revealed.

The French aren't perfect, but they have some parenting secrets that really do work.