Oui ou non?

A friend posted this fascinating article on FB today, along with many rebuttals.  If you don't want to read it, I can summarize by saying it's an American parent's perspective on French parenting while living in France.  It basically points out that French kids are taught to wait, to amuse themselves, and that they are not the center of the universe.  So in other words, old school parenting, much as many of us were raised.  The "you'll get nothing and like it" method.  Which as much as I eschewed this earlier in my pregnancy, is starting to sound kind of appealing again.

Maybe it's just my fear of being "consumed" or "enslaved" by my child that makes me think this, but I feel like it goes a little deeper - I do feel kind of disturbed by how parents today seem to make their children the entire center of their world to the point where the kids just take over and run rampant; misbehaving, talking back, showing no respect, demanding all their needs met RIGHT NOW.  I don't think you can spoil a newborn - I fully intend to babywear him for his comfort, breastfeed on demand (if possible), meet his needs, make sure he feels safe and comfortable.  But there must come a point at which children need to learn to wait.  I'm not into this whole constant snacking thing (there were no snacks in our house...like, not at all), I don't intend to let my son constantly interrupt and be the center of attention in adult situations, I want him to know right away respect for elders and what tone of voice isn't acceptable with me.  Somehow I hope to do all this while making him feel loved and special.  Can you do both at the same time?  I have no freakin' idea.

Still I feel like this article was at least interesting and food for thought.  What is the difference between the toddler who sits nicely in a restaurant and eats his food as opposed to the one that tears up all the sugar and dumps the water glasses over and runs around and screams?  Is the second kid just tired/hungry/not old enough?  Is the first kid just an "easy" kid?  Or is there more to it than that?  Je ne sais pas!