family_life_in_italy

The typical family in Italy is composed by three of four people. In the past families were bigger because the idea itself of family was different. In fact, once families included a larger number of people since most of the times grandparents went to live with their married sons or daughters. Moreover, people had more children first because the mortality rate of babies was high and then because parents needed help to work the land and support economically the family.

In the last years things have changed; families consist of fewer people and the mother's role within it has been completely revolutionized. For example, the number of working mothers has largely increased. There are mainly two reasons for this. First of all, often men's wages are no longer sufficient to cover all the household expenses and so women are somehow forced to face the family demands. Secondly, from a social point of view, the gradual process of emancipation of women has led them to develop a sense of independence, pride and achievement which sometimes has displaced "family" from the top of the traditional scale of values. Indeed, working mothers spent less time than other mothers at home, so they have less time to do the housework, to keep the house in order and to clean it. Furthermore they spent few time with their children, often left with the grandparents or with a baby-sitter. Anyway, in our society, women are still expected to look after children and the house, so that most of the times they have two works, at home and outside. This is not always true. The process of emancipation of women, in fact, has not only revolutionized the mother's role but also the father's role. Nowadays, there are many men who decide to devote themselves to the housework and to look after children. As a consequence, is the woman who supports the whole family. The traditional roles have overturned.

Enrico De Domeneghi, Claudia Martinello, Diego Zucchetto, Erica Cecchinato, (Giada Odorizzi)