The article discusses a shift in a common French idiom used to describe a father abandoning his family. Historically, the phrase "Papa est parti chercher des clopes" (Dad went to get cigarettes) signified desertion. However, the author notes that her children recently laughed when she used a similar phrase, "Il est parti acheter du lait" (He went to buy milk), interpreting it as abandonment. This observation highlights the success of anti-smoking campaigns, which have transformed the stereotypical reason for a father's departure from smoking to purchasing infant formula, symbolizing a change in societal perceptions and the reasons for parental absence.