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The first 1,000 days of life shape every day that follows.
We need to know more about them.
A beat by Irene Caselli
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Populism meets parenting
Childhood is political. The decisions about who has a child, when, and how go far beyond personal choices. Authoritarian and populist politicians the world over are despairing over falling birth rates. They are trying (and often succeeding) to set strict rules about conception and birth
Forever in the archive
I’m starting a new series on play (and it should be fun!)
“He won’t stop playing!” says my dad, surprised, almost every day, as he observes his grandson – my 14-month-old son Lorenzo – going about his daily life. My dad is absolutely right. Lorenzo plays and plays. He bangs pots and pans while I prepare breakfast; he is
On love, care, and the role of family
I’m back at work today after the Easter weekend, when I had a couple of days off. It meant extra family time at a time when family time seems to be all I get. But since reading developmental psychologist Alison Gopnik, an inspiring thinker when it
Stop judging parents by how their children fare
Being a mother comes with a lot of conflicted feelings. I go from wanting to literally bite into my son’s chubby thighs and cheeks to wanting to scream at him when it’s midnight and he doesn’t feel like sleeping. It’s a rollercoaster. Adoration mixed in
On tooth fairies and dreamy swims in lockdown
I’ve been in lockdown in Naples, Italy, for three weeks now. The rules are strict here; we can only go out with a self-certification showing that we’re doing groceries or going to the pharmacy. Since I’m staying with my parents, I’m being extra careful for
Let’s get our v-words right! And other lessons you have taught me
Last week I published a story about things I wished I knew about sex when I was younger, inspired by Sex Education, a Netflix series that I really enjoy. When it was posted, I could hear part of myself screaming inside my head: How can you
12 things I wish I knew about sex before I started having it
The Netflix series Sex Education got me thinking about those early awkward moments of confusion when I became sexually active. So, inspired by the series, here’s a list of some of the things that I wish I had known back then.
Lessons on entertaining ourselves indoors from the masters of simple play
I’ve been in lockdown for a week now. I’m in Naples, Italy, and the coronavirus containment measures caught me, my husband and my child at my parents’ place, during a visit. Since we have a nomadic lifestyle, and no home, we simply had to stay
How do we raise a feminist?
Every person who believes men are superior to women was once a child. People who see women as possessions passed on from their fathers to their husbands; as child bearers and kitchen cleaners; as worthless on the sports field or in the boardroom; as leaders
Women! Women everywhere (even on the walls)
Powerful marches and strikes were led by women in Latin America to mark International Women’s Day this year – something I’ve missed since I’m in Italy, where public gatherings are to be kept to a minimum because of coronavirus containment strategies. Women in Latin America marched
I was writing about male and female brains, but I decided to kill my story. This is why
In early January, I published a piece about raising a son while trying to avoid gender stereotypes. The piece stirred up much debate and discussion. Some readers questioned the science behind the piece and why I had decided to refer to neuroscientists who question just how important the
Forever in the archive:
Over the last few weeks, I’ve had some difficult talks about abortion. And that’s a very good thing
During my current stay in Argentina, I’ve sat through a bunch of dinners where abortion was compared to murder. I have friends and extended family who believe that a person is formed at the moment of conception and that an embryo or a foetus should
The birth of a movement: how activists are winning the battle to make abortion a right
Despite the sometimes deadly consequences, church and state have always made sure abortion was legally restricted in Argentina. But the tide is turning. By engaging with young people and building a diverse coalition, pro-choice activists are forcing the government to act.
Women subjected to FGM are not just victims. Many are actively fighting back to stop the practice
We euphemistically call our vulvas and vaginas our “private parts”. I don’t like using euphemisms for our genitalia, but what this euphemism does get right is the idea that our sexual and reproductive organs are exclusively ours and should be shared only when we decide. Unfortunately,
Why ‘vagina’ should be part of everyone’s vocabulary
“Does the female form make you uncomfortable, Mr Lebowski?” The question comes from Maude Lebowski, an avant-garde artist and feminist played by Julianne Moore in The Big Lebowski, one of my all-time favourite movies. “The word itself makes some men uncomfortable: vagina.” When I first watched
Why would you ever argue against daycare for every child?
It’s good for society, it’s good for your kids, and it’s good for the economy. If we want equal and prosperous societies, we should make daycare a universal right. When does education start? As late as 2011, Unesco* hadn’t even contemplated formal education for children under the age
The benefits of making mistakes
Growing up, mistakes were something to be avoided at all costs – or to be covered up if they ever happened. I was used to getting the best grades and had a hard time admitting to having done something wrong. So, when my newsletter last
What I’ll be writing about in 2020 – and how you can help
When I introduce myself to people as the First 1,000 Days correspondent, some think that I belong to a religious cult, others are simply confused. So I usually break it down for them and explain that I write about early childhood, reproductive rights, sexuality and
Callout: Join my first 1,000 days advisory board
As part of my exploration into the first 1,000 days of human life, I’d like to tell as many stories as possible, so I need to hear from you. The 1,000 days start, and they can look very different based on who you are and
Let’s talk about sex, baby (and gender, too)
Part of what we do here at The Correspondent is explain our learning curve as writers and bring our readers along for the sake of transparency. Last week, my latest article came out about my challenges as a feminist mother raising a boy. It started off as
From boys to feminists: raising a child in a gender-free environment
Wanting to raise a feminist son has forced me to confront some of my own uncomfortable biases. But a world without gender benefits boys just as much as girls.
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