I guess motherhood is quite similar in most cultures – at least in the cultures that I am familiar with – all though there will always be slight differences in how things are done, and the expectations to you as a mother. Here in Norway we get a year in maternity/paternity leave (both parents have to take time off to make it a year – my husband took 4 months), and after that it is quite common to send the little one to a nursery/daycare, and you can of course argue that it is to early for the little one – but anyway – that is the way we found was best for us. I find the employers here are very understanding when it comes to employees with children – my boss has never even raised an eyebrow when I have had to stay at home with an ill child, and I also am very lucky to have flexible working hours – I can work from 7am to 3pm no problem (which allows me to pick up the wee lad from his nursery in the afternoon).
We live in Norway but have close family in both the UK and the US and every now and then we discover some cultural differences in the way we are parents, and the way we raise our children. We are very lucky to get advice from different people around the world. In the beginning I must admit I found it quite stressful as I felt like nothing I did was right – as there would always be some other advice (e.g. to swaddle or not to swaddle)- but I have realised that it is quite the opposite; I am doing it right – as I can always find some advice that support what I am doing – if I can’t find it here in Norway I look elsewhere.
As the wee lads paternal grandparents live in the UK they also have special expectations to politeness (apologies to all the british reading this, I know I am exaggerating here), but (and let me remind you that the wee lad is not yet two years old) they are trying to make him say “thank you mummy” when ever I hand him something. So I give him his drink – and then I will hear one of the grandparents in the background saying “thank you mummy” – now I am all for being polite and saying thank you – but the wee lad can hardly talk as it is! If he said three words in one go I would probably fall off my chair!
One of the biggest challenges I have as a mummy in Norway is the winter – we are just at the start of it now – it will get cold, very cold, but that doesn’t stop us from going outside, and this year I have a feeling that there will be lots of playing in the snow; sledging, maybe skiing, making snowmen, having snowball fights, and generally jumping around in the snow… but how do I make sure that the wee lad doesn’t get cold (or wet)? How many layers of clothes should he wear, because it is also important that he doesn’t get too warm! Oh – and in the nursery they sleep outside in their prams – and there too I have to make sure that he is wearing the right amount of clothes… I am sure I will find the answers eventually – as I have before – just taking one day at the time, and looking at the other children in the nursery to see what they are wearing!
Anyway – I was asked to write about own culture and motherhood, but as usual my articles end up being more of a rant than anything… I think that no matter where you are a parent you will have different challenges, but I am really hoping that having been influenced by several different cultures will make the wee lad more open and more understanding of the world around him (more than his mother is anyway) when he grows up.
— This article is part of the World Moms Blog Link Up—
Photo credit to Cebete http://www.flickr.com/photos/cebete/2614924385/ . This photo has a creative commons attribute license.
Quintessentially Burrows 