CAF or another positive French administrative experience

Yes, it is possible.

After fussing and worrying about finances over the past couple months (long story), I was talking to some friends who told me that the CAF owed me money since I work part time. Did you fill in the paperwork they asked. Do you get your allocation they asked. I thought I had, but after some very thorough research done by a good german friend who lives in Paris, I realized that indeed I was missing out...and the CAF owed me back pay for benefits I should have been getting since February 2010 when I returned to work after Max was born.

So manned with my best French , copies of all the documents I'd sent, dates, amounts, and my personal access code (since it's all automated by phone) and a hell of a lot of patience, I called the CAF. After going through the spiral of their phone system, I finally got a real person.

Four minutes. That's all it took. I told the CAF lady that I haven't been getting my allocation. I told her I submitted everything by hand and they owed me money (the only way to get things done in Frence administration is to assume you are right, even if you know you're not). She didn't even have time to put me on hold. she pulled up my file, said she had scans of the documents I'd submitted and yes they owed me 16 months worth of back pay. The reason, "le technicien a du zapper" (it must have slipped the clerk's mind). Oops.

That makes three positive French administrative experiences in only 3 months. The winds of change are in the air....

For other working moms, if you want to know your rights, have a look at this link: complément de libre choix d'activité. It gives you information on what types of allocation you will get

The Grandma conundrum

I am a worrier. It's part of who I am and what makes me both lovable and annoying as hell.

And although I come off as being pretty low-key, calm and collected, I'm not. I spend most days with the feeling that all of my organs have low-frequency waves going through them making me constantly tremble.

The point is, that at this stage, I shouldn't be so worried about Max's language progression. But I am. Suzanne is bilingual. Max is saying more and more every day, much of it in English, and he clearly understands everything. But, I do worry which is why it's so important for Max to get the most out of my mother's annual February visit.

When Suzanne was Max's age, she spent 2 weeks with my mother every February. Max can't do that because my mother can't really handle both kids for 2 weeks during vacation. So as February vacation approaches (my mom arrives in 17 days!), I'm trying to come up with creative and realistic solutions for Max to get the most out of my Mom without 1)totally draining my Mom and 2)without putting anyone at risk. My mother had back surgery a couple years ago and isn't completely stable on her feet which makes carrying an energetic 18 month old boy up and down the stairs a little complicated. I may be able to take a couple days off work to help out, but it isn't the same as 2 weeks with Grandma!

I want them to bond the way Suzanne and Grandma have in the past. And I want Max to drown in an American bath (so to speak). I was thinking that maybe Max could go to nursery school in the mornings - since he sleeps anyway - and my mom could get him after lunch a couple times. That way they get to spend a few half days together which is better than no days at all.

And let's face it. Grandmas are just awesome. They spoil us, make good food and when Grandma's visiting, the kitchen sink is always empty of dirty dishes.

So if anyone out there has some ideas (on how to relax or how to maximize Grandma's stay), please share.