How to be a Fun French Parent (... FYI, Climb Walls)

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“You’re so childish!” Mark laughs when I goof around. “You’re more fun in France.”

No shit. I guess it shows—I’m having fun, I’m more relaxed. Work doesn’t seem to slow down much this summer but it’s okay, everything is under control.

Honestly, I’m not a very fun parent in Canada. I wake up, work, sleep and repeat. I don’t take Mark anywhere because my workday typically starts when school ends at 2:50 p.m. (!)—Freelancers don’t work 9-5, they work whenever, including weekends and evenings. Besides, it’s not easy to get around in North America, going anywhere in Ottawa requires a 30-45-minute car ride. And to go where, exactly? It’s mostly either expensive indoor activities—movie theatre, museums, amusement centres—or the great outdoors and I’m sorry, I’m not into camping in the middle of the woods.

This is another case of “France makes more sense to me“. I grew up in France. I know where to go, what’s cool, what’s fun.

I can get around easily—we walk, take boats, tramways, subways and trains, no car required.

We left Paris and we’re in Nantes, as usual, and we go to the beach as often as we can. This year, our first destination was Saint-Gilles, where I taught Mark how to climb a wall and run on the beach.

And this is how I became a cool parent.

I’ll take it.

Promenade Marie de Beaucaire, Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie

Promenade de la Vie, Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie

Phare de la Garenne, Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie

France Photo Essays

> Besides, it’s not easy to get around in North America, going anywhere in Ottawa requires a 30-45-minute car ride. And to go where, exactly?

Exactly. Do you know the channel ”Not Just Bikes” ? The author made a video about that last month. US and Canadian cities COULD be well designed, but they aren’t, and most people there don’t have any idea that things could be better.
https://youtu.be/REni8Oi1QJQ

Zhu says:

July 26, 2023 at 7:47 pm

I completely agree (with you and the video) but I truly don’t understand why cities are STILL not being developed and designed to be pedestrian- or bike-friendly. The oil cartel??? It drive (no pun intended) me crazy when I see city expansion and new suburbs being built without sidewalks but with large roads. Like, why??

- Martin Penwald says:
  
  July 27, 2023 at 11:24 am
  
  Oil and car industries lobbies, I guess.
  
  If cities in Canada and the US are still build around cars, I think it’s partly because of a lack of imagination and, it seems old racist regulations (see redlining) that idealize and promote the single family home as the best way to live.
  
  - Zhu says:
    
    July 27, 2023 at 8:53 pm
    
    Okay, so we just need a complete change of mindset. *Sigh*.

ottawa sounds like Jakarta, only expensive indoor activities are available. to add the traffic, at least you need to spare one hour to commute. not pedestrian friendly nor the bike.

Zhu says:

July 29, 2023 at 7:01 pm

The only difference would be that Ottawa is quite empty compared to Jakarta! 😆

Awww 🙂
So i can’t convince you to go camping with me ? LMAO

Zhu says:

July 30, 2023 at 7:57 pm

You know what, because it’s you… yeah, I’d do it 😀 I’m sure we would have fun!

- christiane says:
  
  October 14, 2023 at 1:20 pm
  
  Ok 🙂 Let’s try next year! Too cold to camp right now.

How to be a Fun French Parent (… FYI, Climb Walls)

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