Mar 29, 2012

Bringing Up Bebe – Finally, A Book on Parenting in France for Expats

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When I was pregnant in France, I scoured the Internet to read everything I could about parenting in France. I really wanted a book to tell me what I could expect or the differences between France and the USA - but I could not find anything. My older sister and mother both heard about this book, Bringing Up Bebe, from the news recently and rushed to tell me about it. I purchased it on my Kindle and I devoured it in only 3 days. Pamela Druckerman is a journalist from the US, husband is from the UK, and they are living in France. When they had their first child, she discovered that her daughter … [Read more...]

Mar 25, 2012

Calling Poision Hotline After Baking a Chocolate Cake

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While my husband was taking Juliana to her kiné appointment, I had a craving  for chocolate. The only chocolate I had in the house was cocoa powder and I did not feel like having hot chocolate. I wanted a cookie or cake.I usually sift equal parts of flour and sugar together and mix with water until it forms dough. This cookie is definitely not gourmet, but it is quick and gets the job done. Yesterday I wanted to be a bit creative by having it rise. I added an egg and sodium bicarbonate. When you mix these two together, it creates a chemical reaction that results in lots of air bubbles. … [Read more...]

Mar 24, 2012

Finding a Used Automatic Car in France is an Adventure

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It is time for us to let go of our little Renault Clio. I can drive manual now, but I do not feel comfortable with it.  One rainy night with sporadic hail, I was on the way home from grocery shopping and the car stalled when making a left turn. I was stretched across two lanes. A car began approaching me from each direction and luckily both saw me in time to swerve. I realized that I stalled because I tried driving in 2nd gear instead of moving it down to 1st gear. I quickly adjusted it to 1st gear and drove the rest of the way home shaking.Finding an automatic car in France is a … [Read more...]

Mar 23, 2012

Subsidized Daycare and In-Home Childcare – I love France!

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My husband has been very busy the past few weeks and not able to help me around the house. Taking care of Juliana full-time, cleaning and cooking has forced me to put my book on hold. This past week I was only able to write two sentences and do some fact checking.We were intrigued when someone close to us said she the cost of her in-home babysitter is covered by social security. As if sent from someone above, a few days later I received  the  purple Vos Prestations 2012 booklet by Allocations Familiales. It includes all the information we needed about childcare assistance.Qualifying … [Read more...]

Mar 20, 2012

Finding a Child Kinétherapist in France is Worth the Effort

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Juliana has difficulty looking and holding her head to the far left, as well as tilts her head to the right when looking straightforward. A few days before we moved to the south, an orthopedic doctor in Caen told us that Juliana needs kiné three times a week for a month. The first thing we did when we moved to Banon was found a kiné and started the sessions.We only have two kinés in Banon. She explained to us that Juliana’s neck and the muscles down to under her arms need massaging and stretching – they were too tight. Once they are loose, she will be able to turn her head again. It … [Read more...]

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