Not the Dolce Vita

February 26, 2012
By | in Super Mammas | 8 Comments

Part IV – Life of the Italian Super-Mamma – Not the ‘Dolce Vita’ As recent articles have shown, traditions, manners, discipline and parenting habits can vary dramatically from one country to the next, but the Italian Mamma is up against more than her counterparts in the US and France. A fascinating study by three women […]

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Leo in the Sandbox, Nico in the Tree

February 25, 2012
By | in Super Mammas | 17 Comments

Part III – Leo in the Sandbox, Nico in the Tree Although I am against fruit loops at Mass, I have a typical American belief in allowing kids a fair amount of liberty, unlike the French and Italians. Pamela Druckerman told the story of how she learned from a French Mom how to speak to […]

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Fevers, Food and Clothing

February 24, 2012
By | in Super Mammas | 5 Comments

Part II Fevers, Food and Clothing As an American living in Italy, I have learned that Italian mammas spend their days measuring their child’s fevers. When a child has the flu, the mamma has to measure the temperature at least four or five times a day to report the specific number — 38.3, 39.1, 37.9 […]

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The Italian Super Mamma

February 23, 2012
By | in Super Mammas | 7 Comments

Dear Blog Readers:  Several of you pointed out to me an article in the “Wall Street Journal”, “Why French Parents are Superior” and asked for my thoughts and opinions in comparison to the Italian mothering style.  I decided to submit my own article to the “Wall Street Journal” on the Italian Super Mamma.  After working […]

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The Missing Pocket Watch and a Thorny Situation

January 27, 2012
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Part III The Missing Pocket Watch and How I Ended up in a Thorny Situation There was never a dull moment in Kenya and when the next Christmas vacation rolled around we found ourselves with our family friends the Hopcrafts heading to their home on Lake Naivasha, known as Loldia House.  Pete Hopcraft hadn’t warned […]

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My Lost Opportunity to Become a Princess

January 26, 2012
By | in Super Mammas | 10 Comments

Part II – The Mini Purply Eggplant and My Lost Opportunity to Become a Princess Fast-forward ahead 7 years from the Batrasi Resthouse in West Pakistan to Nairobi, Kenya. My father was working as part of a Harvard Institute for International Development project with the Kenyan Ministry of Agriculture, and my mother was bopping around […]

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“You’re Just Fine”

January 25, 2012
By | in Super Mammas | 12 Comments

Note to Blog Readers: I have just finished reading Alexandra Fuller’s lovely book “Cocktail Hour Under the Tree of Forgetfulness” and was inspired to write a few lines about my own experiences in Africa and Asia and my own incredible mother. Both “Cocktail Hour…” and Alexandra’s first book “Don’t Let’s Go to the Dogs Tonight” […]

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Heroic Mamma: Aung San Suu Kyi

October 28, 2011
By | in Super Mammas | 3 Comments

French Director Luc Besson’s latest film “The Lady” was presented yesterday at the Rome Film Festival.  It is about Burmese democracy activist Aung San Suu Kyi.   The film is a beautiful and heart-rending tale of love and passion.  Tears were streaming down my cheeks throughout the whole movie.  The film follows Aung San Suu […]

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