Sigh, I've refrained from wading into this one, but suffice it to say it is too easy to say "System X is much more effective than system Y for better/stronger/smarter/faster kids."
Perhaps things have changed, but I lived in France for a year between HS and college with a French family - and since I'd attended a GT public high school, found my HS year in France to be a real social eye opener. Maybe because I was an American, I hung out with some smart kids but also some of the "cool" kids who were probably right in line with typical American public HS kids of the time (got in some trouble, partying, etc). Imagine MY surprise to find out they were not all pondering international relations, focused on the selection process for University, or even just doing their schoolwork on time. They were a varied group of teens! Many fought with their parents regularly and were plenty disobedient. I'm happy to discuss my experiences of the French vs US education system, but this has little to do with how toddlers behave in restaurants or how well her own kid listens to her. There's no French parenting style that magically solves problems.
