They don’t see the world as a dangerous, menacing place
Parenting is probably the most anxiety-provoking job on the planet. Not only are you entrusted with the physical and mental safety of a precariously fragile being, but you’re also responsible for their entire future. Or… maybe not. Maybe this hyper-anxious style of parenting is just making for exhausted parents and anxious kids.
“French parents are very concerned about their kids. They know about paedophiles, allergies and choking hazards. They take reasonable precautions,” she writes. “But they aren’t panicked about their children’s wellbeing. This calmer outlook makes them better at both establishing boundaries and giving their kids some autonomy.”
To parallel French parenting, accept that you simply cannot protect your children from every bad thing. Do your best, and then let the rest go. In the meantime, try and remember that things weren’t perfectly safe when you were a kid either and you ended up OK. Remember metal slides? You lived. And you learned… not to wear shorts on a hot day.
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Source: RD.com
