In “What Everyone Can Learn From Lazy French Mothers,” Pamela Druckerman examines Parisian mothers’ attitudes toward the “hassle” of extracurricular activities. The women she spoke to had no intention of clogging family life with endless driving and events at the cost of homework, free time and even boredom.

At first this attitude caused her to bristle. But time and research changed things.

Pamela writes: Were these French moms selfishly preserving their own leisure time at the cost of their kids’ development? Several years, and a whole lot of research (and Parisian parenting) later, I feel I can safely say: probably not.