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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
How we’re raising future politicians
Dear reader, I am on maternity leave, and I scheduled this story before I took a break so that you wouldn’t miss me too much. You’ll be receiving my newsletters every two weeks until 19 January — a mix of new content and some older
My life-changing encounter with an Iranian activist
Protests in Iran have been happening for over a month now. They were originally sparked by the death in custody of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Kurdish Iranian woman who had been detained by morality police. The protests seem to have spread also to Iran’s Evin
Why maternity leave is crucial
Over the past few weeks, I felt that my pregnancy had become a chore. I was trying to stay fit by going to yoga and walking. I was also trying to get enough sleep (because you never know) and being in touch with friends before
My deepest fear about giving birth
On Sunday night, I was so tired I could not fall asleep. As I lay down in my bed on my left side, hugging a breastfeeding pillow to support my gigantic belly, I started feeling some intense pain. The baby was somehow pushing on my
Wrongs ideas about childbirth are common
📢 Next Thursday 13 October, I am moderating a panel on how to look at the climate crisis through the eyes of a child. It has an exciting line-up that promises lots of insight: Robert Hughes, a public health researcher and lecturer on early childhood
The most expensive and dangerous place for children
Last year, I left Lorenzo with my mother for an hour so that I could do a therapy session. We were visiting my parents’ house in Naples. When I finished, I came out, and Lorenzo was in tears, screaming, Voglio la mia mamma, I want
It’s time to talk about obstetric violence
**Warning: this piece handles obstetric violence, and goes into some graphic details. If this has affected you and you have not received support, feel free to send me an email and I will try and help you find the right resources in your country.Images: Courtesy
Routines are great, but have you tried spontaneity?
📢 On 21 September, I am moderating a panel on how losing a caregiver can impact a child’s health and what are possible ways to protect them in the future. It will feature Charles H. Zeanah, professor of psychiatry & pediatrics at Tulane University, and one
The invisible load holds women back
This morning, as I was driving back from dropping my son off for a few hours with his babysitter, I blasted music on the car stereo and sang along with Rino Gaetano, an Italian singer-songwriter who died before I was born. “Ma il cielo è
Summer is great for everyone except parents
There is a poem by Gianni Rodari, the Italian children’s book writer I can’t stop raving about, that has always stayed with me. It’s called “Ferragosto”, after the name of the Italian public holiday that falls on 15 August, and it’s about children who can’t afford to
Forever in the archive:
What happened when a friend saw me yell at my child
Last year, someone who was close to me and my family joined us for a week while we were in Italy. This was one of our usual trips where my partner and I combine work, seeing friends and family, and possibly squeezing in a few
The life-changing power of reading aloud
When I was pregnant with my son Lorenzo, I would often sit down and read aloud to my belly. I wouldn’t read just anything. My plan was to get him acquainted with my all-time favourite author who gave me my first experiences as an independent
What it’s like to flee a forest fire
One afternoon last year, I fled my home with my family as the hill above my home burned. I’d had time to pack only some laptops and hard discs (don’t ask me why), passports and a change of clothes for my son, Lorenzo, who was
The cost of the motherhood penalty
🚨 On 18 July, I am moderating a panel on why we should take children and carers into account when reporting on migration. It will feature Luis H. Zayas, chair of mental health and social policy, at UT Austin, U.S., as well as award-winning journalists
What does trauma really mean?
An image has been haunting me recently. It’s of children lined up in an airport in the United States about to be deported to Mexico and Central America. Of course, this has happened often in reality, but the image comes from Valeria Luiselli’s novel Lost
Criminalised for a miscarriage
**Warning: this piece handles miscarriage, pregnancy loss and abortion, and goes into some graphic details. If you’d still like to stay informed about the U.S. abortion ban, I recommend this piece in The New Yorker or this one on the dangers of abortion bans for other patients.
Why cooking matters
Meet Manal. She is one of the women I met in Lesbos, the Greek island that became a main transit destination for migrants trying to reach Europe via Turkey. Born in Syria, Manal has three children, the youngest of whom, Nina, was born in the
Do you share your childhood games with your children?
We journalists should never act as psychologists, especially when it comes to the topic of how to approach children. Yet being aware of what happens to them and how they can react to hardships should be an important part of our reporting. This is the
Why the books we read matter
A reminder: this coming Monday, 13 June, I am moderating a panel on the mental health of children and carers. I think a lot of readers here will be very interested in the event. It will feature child trauma psychologist Chandra Ghosh Ippen, as well
The politics of the shocking U.S. formula shortage
An alert before I delve into today’s topic: on 13 June, I am moderating a panel on the mental health of children and carers, which I think would be of much interest to many of your readers. It will feature child trauma psychologist Chandra Ghosh
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