Since the 70s the head of the family has been able to have a free choice in the language of education for their children. Dutch-language schools are now becoming more attractive to French pupils, partly helped by the fact that the Flemings had smaller classes, newer schools, kindergartens and day residences. The economic growth of the formerly agrarian Flanders led to the rise of the Flemish middle classes, and thereby also a rise in the prestige of their language. Conversely the loss of industry in Wallonia led to a lessening of prestige for French. At the international level, however, it is French which has the greater prestige.
People adapt themselves to the conversational situation.
They will often ask themselves how their choice of language will be valued. It is well known that Flemish has been strongly influenced by the proximity of a large French-speaking population. However, in a bilingual situation borrowings from the neighbours' language do not take place in just one direction.