Part VI - Weekends

Marie loves the weekend. Her family always goes to the park on Saturdays, and Marie gets to practice riding her bike. She often sees her friends from school in the park with their families, too. Since most families in Marseille live in apartments and do not have yards to play in, going to parks on the weekend gives them outdoor time.
On Sundays, her extended family gets together for a long lunch. She loves this time with her grandparents and cousins, and lunch usually lasts at least 3 hours. For Marie's friends who do not have family nearby, they still often go out for a long Sunday lunch with just their immediate family.

Zoe also enjoys weekends with her family. She has soccer practice on Saturdays, and Sundays she and her family often go to the Farmer's Market and then for a hike. Zoe's extended family lives far away, so Zoe and her parents often spend Saturday evenings having dinner with neighbors.

Marie and Zoe both live in towns that appreciate the outdoors. Their weekends are quite similar, in that they revolve around quality family time together.

Thoughts:
The American and French families I know cherish their family time together. Weekends are valued, and socializing with family and friends are important for both the children and the adults.