Published Friday, 01 March 2013
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According to American author Pamela Druckerman, local parents put their children too much at the centre of their lives and let them have their own way to the point where they can become demanding and rude.
But in France, where she lives, children are apparently brought up to be polite, play by themselves without misbehaving, and to do as they are told.
But should the old adage that children should be seen and not heard still apply in the modern world?
"It's not good for the children to think they're the centre of the universe," Pamela, who has written books on the subject, said.
But when she explained that French parents strive to parent from a place of calm, presenter Ruth chipped in: "Some people might say selfish ..."
I have the confident to say "no" to my children and they still all adore and love me ... My view is: I'm the boss!
Eamonn Holmes
"No, no, no - let me interrupt here," her co-presenter and husband Eamonn said quickly.
"Because what Pamela's saying, it would be lost in translation. Most British parents, like you (Ruth) and you (journalist Lucky Cavendish, who disagrees with Pamela's view), will see that as: 'She just said we have to lock up our children in jail and don't feed them!' You were bristling there, bristling!"
Lucy Cavendish, a mum-of-four, did indeed take exception to the idea that parents should back off.
"I devoted a tremendous amount of time (to my children) ..." she said.
"You lost all those years of your life you'll never get back," Eamonn added.
"No, I have gained massively - I have become the person I am because I've got my children. I've learned more about life, and about myself, and about people having had children and really given them a lot of time and attention," Lucy said.
We fall into this cycle of perpetually negotiating with kids - they think everything is up for discussion.
Pamela Druckerman
But according to Pamela, local parents are just too scared to say "no" to their children - however, she insists that French children aren't simply made into "robotic little obedient beings".
She added: "They (French parents) think children are people and they have the right to express themselves, they have the right to talk.
"The main difference is - they don't think the child has a right to talk when its parents are talking.
"I talked to British parents who told me: 'I'm more afraid of the effect of saying no to him, or of getting angry at him, than I am angry at him'."