Moms have to be so brave!

Remember the first week of college, when you didn’t know anyone? It was easier to just stay in your room and eat the oreos your mom sent in the care package, then go down to the dining hall. When that dim-witted, cheery RA showed up to invited you to the ice cream social, you could just make up an excuse to stay in your room the whole week. But you’re not going to make any friends in your room.

My kids are happy to hang in the yard, eat at home and have fun with each other. But they are not going to make any French friends or speak any French at home. 

As I mentioned in a previous post, I am starting to plan extra activities to do to get them out and speaking with other people. I took it easy on them at the beginning of the week, but now we really need to get out there. 

Today I took them to an art show at a local kids art program. It was the culmination of the week’s art class. I wasn’t sure what the “art” was going to be, but I was hoping they could see some other kids and speak a little French. If my kids liked the art and the teacher, I planned to sign them up for some classes for next week.

When I made the arrangements with the art teacher, my French teacher was nearby. After the art teacher left, I told my teacher- I am scared! Right now I am being so brave for my kids. I knew this would be challenging, but truth be told, I am terrified half of the time. 

It’s that same bravery we show when they hurt themselves and they look for your reaction. Even if it’s bad, you have to stuff it way down and put on your “it’s going to be OK” face, scoop them up and take care of it. 

So we bundled up against the rain and headed to the art studio for the kids’ “show.” we got to the studio and I didn’t see any kids. Typical of our time here so far. But then the teacher led us to a court yard full of screaming kids playing tag. My kids had so much fun playing with the others, I was a little sad when the teacher announced it was time for the show.

boys playing tag "le chat"

We went back into the studio and the children took seats around a large display. It was filled with little clay houses and black shoe boxes decorated with tubes and objects from nature: feathers, sticks, flowers. Little clay statues of mice were placed around. OK.

the "art" at the art show

Here comes the teacher with clasped hands and the kids go nuts. 

I can’t understand a word because it’s these little excited voices speaking baby French very fast. She opens her hands and drops a hamster down into the exhibit. It’s a giant hamster maze of little houses and obstacles. The tubes are for the hamster to climb through. Each kid is ecstatic when the hamster runs into the house or box that he or she created in the art class. My kids are laughing, the other kids are out of their minds, the adults are laughing. Cake is served, beer is poured. My kids are speaking French with the other kids.

After the art “show,” my kids wanted to return to our apartment, but I was walking a little lighter from our experience (and maybe the little bit of Belgian been I had). I forced them to walk around the town square before heading home. It wasn’t raining and it was a Friday night after all!  

We headed to the little grocer whom we’ve visited quite a bit. He laughed at me when I bought one beer! He juggled for my kids and made them laugh. 

It seems we just needed this place to come alive a little bit so we could experience a Friday night in France- a la famille. 

So now we’re back home and I’m making fish sticks. But mission accomplished for this brave mom, for today anyway. 

Free time in the studio after le hamster 

Don't worry friends-- I did not have fish sticks for dinner; this is a wonderful pastry with potatoes and blue cheese.
I got it at the market which travels among the smaller towns of this region. Our class went to the market in St. Satur,
but tomorrow it is in Sancerre. In the background is my beer and the baguettes we purchased on our way home
from the art show (above).