Do the French love their children?

It may seem like a harsh and strange title, but this summer had me wondering.

There are undeserving parents everywhere and we all know the accidents presented below happen everywhere. But since mid-July - only a month -, there has been some kind of pattern, trend or loi des séries over here.

A [2 & 1/2 year old] child dies forbidden in a car [parked] under direct sun
July 15, 2008

French father hangs daughters [2 & 7 years old], commits suicide
July 16, 2008

Eunice, 3 years old, disappeared on Sunday, found dead in a Meaux pond
July 28, 2008

Little girl [4 years old] shot with hunting rifle [fired by her grand-mother's boyfriend] during party celebrated with alcohol
August 1, 2008

11 year-old dies after being accidentally killed by friend [manipulating] rifle
August 6, 2008

Baby killed by stone [thrown] in Corsica: two teenagers jailed
August 6, 2008

Var: 6 year-old child left in car being taken care of by police
August 6, 2008

Car parked in direct sun: two children [3 months old and 3 years old] saved
August 6, 2008

Child [5 years old] found dead in his bathtub after being beaten [by his father]
August 6, 2008

Christophe, 2 years old, dies crushed by trailer [accidentally ran over by his grand-father]
August 7, 2008

Child [2 years old] forgotten in car: a father arrested in the Yvelines
August 7, 2008

A mother [35 years old] kills her 2 children [7 & 10 years old] and kills herself
August 8, 2008

Driver hits father and son: one dead [the 3 year-old kid]
August 10, 2008

8 year-old dies in Benirdorm [Alicante, Spain] after being dragged by aquatic motorcycle
August 11, 2008

A [13 year-old] teenager dies forgotten in a car
August 12, 2008

Two little girls [1 & 2 years old] die in a fire in the Drôme
August 12, 2008

Death of a two year old child: the father and his girlfriend jailed
August 12, 2008

Marseilles: mystery surrounds abandoned [2 and a half year-old] child
August 13, 2008

7 year-old child dies crushed by hay bale
August 14, 2008

7 year-old child from Nice drowns in summer camp
August 14, 2008

Father sued after leaving [5 year-old] child alone in park
August 14, 2008

An article sums up the situation: "News are cruel for children this summer. Almost not a single day without young lives being abruptly interrupted..."

Like the government was deemed responsible by many for the death of 15,000 persons during the 2003 heatwave because the State should take care of our elderly, maybe today the parents are waiting for the State to take care of our children. After taking care of them, of course.

A colleague of mine once said in front of me that women should not be egoist: they should have children. Indeed, he continued, if they don't have children, who is going to pay our pensions? Huh.

Posted by Carine at August 14, 2008 05:05 PM | TrackBack