The people of France really adore their children. Even in big city Paris, complete strangers

will often provide helpful advice on how to be a good mother. That's what a pregnant American

discovered when an elderly gentleman stopped her on the street. He took my hand in his,

and he told me he thought I looked beautiful, and then he thanked me for making a new French citizen.

Hi, I'm Rick Steves. Today, it's a Mother's Day edition of Travel with Rick Steves.

American Mary Barone tells us what it's like marrying into French culture

and talks about the joys and challenges of raising a child in Paris.

And another young American mother, Jennifer Wilson, joins us to share her family's adventure,

moving everybody to a tiny rustic village in Croatia, where her ancestors came from.

The neighbors had a cow on the first floor of their house,

and the gathering space was sort of the cafe bar in the middle of town.

That and some special tributes to our mothers.

It's just ahead on Travel with Rick Steves.

Years ago, Seattleite Mary Campbell married a Frenchman she met while working at Rick Steves

Europe.

They're now raising a family in Paris.

In just a bit, Mary lets us in on a few French expectations for being a young

mother. And Jennifer Wilson tells us what happened when her family opted out of their busy

American life in Des Moines and relocated to a small village that time forgot in the mountains of Croatia.

By the way, we're proud to note

that this week's Mother's Day edition

of Travel with Rick Steves

...