opas

If you ever receive the letter ,have a look at the postmark,(we were only talking about this the other day) I am sure they come via Zurich! If it isnt them, then it is one of the other government depts(disability/child benefit)

well guilty mum that I am , I let my 6 year old put my name down as one of the obligatory parents required to accompany her class on a day out for `athletisme`. I now have a sore throat from shouting at kids who don`t know how to behave and sit on their bottoms on a bus or during the `serious` business of sportsmanship! Are any of you familiar with the Dagobert book which seems to be like the bibble here in france for children in CP and over. We were furnished with instruction leaflets on how each game should be played(the children already knew from practice in school) but on reading this it didn`t make sense to me and i felt totaly out of my depth and felt like going home(except i was about 20k away ,without mobile or car!)until one of the French mums said she didn`t understand either! my group were all 6/7 year olds who had to `attack` their apponent and take a scarf(foulard) from the opponents sock by trying to trip them up by standing on this scarf at the same time trying to take a clothes peg (which was gripped on washing line style) from the shoulder of the opponent . OK so not too bad when the person is the samish size but when you are teamed against CM2(9/10 year olds) not easy! next 3 hoola hoops on the floor(in a triangle..if you follow) one child inside one hoop the other outside who has to get the inside one out of the hoops entirely by dragging them physically by whatever force is neccessary. the whole day was taken VERY seriously by the organisers and most of the other mums and teachers and was charted with score sheets! none of it seemed to have a reason and just seemed to bouy the children up to be more noisy /excited and disruptive. I agree with competitive sport,but personaly saw the whole day as one which just made the children think it is `the norm` to fight and throw each other around. It was held in a Judo hall and thought perhaps at the end we would have been given a demo on correct practices for contact sport and perhaps an incentive to join their club, but no just the teachers and parents encouraged to fight each other! ( I declared a weak bladder(not true) and dissapeared to the ladies!) next time I will be busy any one need their oven cleaning !!??

if you put a search on the site for most of the subjects you have covered you will find all the details you need.

LAST EDITED ON 20-Apr-04 AT 07:31 PM (BST) poussons!

Livret de famille is the health booklet the french children have from birth and charts their health simular to the Red Book in the uk , My eldest age 10 doesn`t have either the youngest aged 6 has a red book(both british born and only in france for 8 months...is it that long!) A octor in france will probably set up the L de F when you attend one( our youngest is awaiting hers) I was asked for one when ours started school and then the teacher said something like `Oh you are english you don`t have these` and accepled the doctors notes I gave her. These are really what Jabs your children have had and to make sure they are up to date. hope this helps

I too have all classes on my licence and been using them for nearly 20years,just a thought can you speak french and make an employer understand you?otherwise forget getting a job in france,there,s alot more to getting a driving job in france try a search on this forum and you will see.

Probably not spelt correctly , we were informed a few weeks ago by a doctor that our youngest would recieve free? treatment for the health problems she was born with. He was applying for a form on our behalf which we will now follow up on monday(when the children are back in school) Today we received a phone call from a large university hospital(2hours drive from us) to say we will get a letter by post of an appointment for our daughter to see various doctors ,she will be requires to stay there overnight(she is 6 years old) so one of us will want to stay with her. Has any one out there on this forum any idea how the Prise en charge works, will the parent have to pay to sleep, are the childrens wards the same nightmare situations that the UK have... Tv next to every bed in wards..unlimited visitors ,noise till all hours (oh my head!!!)

just as a matter of personal interest is it `the norm` here in france to offer/insist on the vitamin K jab ASAP after birth to the new born, your response would be helpfull.

in what context is this used, we are in catalonia, and speaking with some of the neighbours is like listening to another language(if you catch my drift!)Mr O talks and understands our aged neighbour who is Catalan and some of the French ones don`t know what he has said!

have no morals on the subect of free food especialy such a healthy one! wish we were nearer to have a go!

Last night we had Faux Fillet ,Mr O cooked it and was very tender ,even the youngest(no front teeth ) ate it. I am not a real meat lover but if I am to be honest I do like `Rib eye steak` as it is called in the UK.Can any one tell me what to ask for in France(or spain as we are very close to the boarder) for this cut. ps where is Teamed Up anyone know.

I have a huge bunch each of cut mint and corriander . Quite a lot of the mint has gone towards sauce for todays diner,can anyone give me some ideas on preserving the rest of these..either drying or freezing,which retains most flavour.

As an add on to my previous post to you , both our children had extra help in school from a teacher who comes in to help any child with difficulties ie slow learner or as in our case nonfrench speaker. The elder girl said she was shown flip cards and asked what they were in french and after a while was not sent for again but comments that this teacher will find her at break times to ask questions,what is she eating ? Where did you go at weekend etc.The younger one goes each week for 3/4 hour to a teacher who has made us a tape to listen to which goes with her worksheets ,Aparently every none french speaking child is entitled to this extra tuition which we didn`t ask for..we were just ready for a long hard slog...but the school sent a note home for each child asking for permission to take them out of the class!(I supose the same way in UK if your child needs extra support you need to be aware) Our eldest is staying in what we refere to as junior school for another year(should be going to senior in UK this time) to boost up her language and we are all happy with this. The youngest is going into the `junior` school this year(7 in sept) so far,and as I said have grasped the lingo far beyond how we expected Have you decided on a specific town or village yet?

Dont take this as a flippant remark,but surely when you get in the chair and open your mouth to point at the `crown` the dentist will know what the problem is .Perhaps pas fort(not strong) whilst showing him/her may assist. I know of this problem well as the children kept loosening dads for him whilst playing..he eventually resorted to a titanium suport,a very painfull and expensive technique but very permanent.

According to the sun ,if you buy a fresh stir fry from M and S you will also receive a live jumping frog! True honest read the sun online today!

Mrs O here, I cannot believe that you are asking over the web for anyone ie a stranger to look after your children! yes I have done the childcare route with my children whilst I worked but used childminders and nurseries with a valuable reputation. Why dont you sort out a gite first and then take along a relative or your usual childminder/babysitter?

OPAS.. PIPROB...OPAS...PIPROB this is Opas calling PipRob.Do you hear me PipRob? It is now April 4th with temperatures of 20/22 degrees here in 66, I don`t want to gloat ..honest ,but hurry up as the weather is superb and cant promise that I can keep the temps much longer! My mate on tele france 1(a trusted fellow!) says I can basque on the terrace till about Thursday, It is now 18.30 french time the kids are having waterfights and I am just going to think about something for supper al fresco, Oh and no fire in the grate last night so looking good. Bonne route!

Dear Deb here, now please sit down make yourself comfy and tell me all about it whilst I make you a lovely cup of tea, sugar/milk? or would you relax beter with our latest purchase of organic wine(recomended)

So do 14% of the french voters think it`s alright then.

with or without shells!

message in your inbox ,

What a pity you didn`t post this last night , have just done a shop at Auchan and would have had a browse around the isles for you , would give anything to see the lok on teachers face , especialy if she has to do a taste test!

In the uk there is a law that states that brothers and sisters cannot share a bedroom after a certain age , (not sure of the age but 11 springs to mind). Is there such a law here in France, it wont affect us as we have girls,but it worries me that a few of our daughters friends aged about 11 share rooms with older brothers which I find a little worrying as the behaviour of these children is a bit provocotive!

LAST EDITED ON 27-Mar-04 AT 05:20 PM (GMT) As far as I am aware....and I am sure someone will correct me if wrong, the phonetic alphabet is international,it was used over the VHF during our sailing days in Greece ,Italy,Turkey and malta and infact him indoors used it over the `phone the other day to ASSEDIC

Sorry for changing tack,but I have just had an experience in ecole maternal CP class that I remember reading about perhaps some 12 months ago on here and at the time laughing. My youngest came home early this week with a letter asking for `Mamans qui diseponsibles` for friday to walk the class to the sports field, OK I`ll come I tell her , tell teacher. So off I trot this pm to school.The walk to the sport area is about 3/4 of a mile ,21 children aged 6/7 .. no problem. Arrive at said field ,balls the size of tennis ones are produced along with hoola hoops, we split into groups (1 teacher ,2 mamans and my eldest daughter aged 10 whose schoo lis on an inspection day) and I am promply given a lesson on how to throw a ball correctly! Now in my experience and oppinion girls can`t throw overarm but no I am informed this is how to correctly lancer a ball..OK, next how to trow a hoola hoop!!! the teacher showed how not to do it (boomerang style) and nearly garotted a child! My next hour was spent trying to teach children how to throw these things correctly ,with one of my charges not knowing which hand she wrote with as she didnt look comfortable with either! Lesson over and we all go for a drink of water .. then Maitresse asked me if the children had any problems ..at which my eldest started to giggle at the serriousness of the situation. So yes the education is hard but so is the leisure! I wonder if I will be asked back next week? So forget learning the beautifull handwriting get out there and show your young offspring the importance of throwing a ball!!