It doesn’t matter if you’re living the American dream or raised by the Spanish siesta lifestyle, your mom deserves to be spoiled rotten on Mother’s Day. For us glampers, it’s easy to take on new adventures, but home is always where Mom is. Mamas around the world have left their imprint on generations to come, so here’s a quick look at different “mom-ing” and parenting styles around the world. Do you recognize any?
On safety
Did your mama walk you to school every morning or were you sent off on your own to instill independence? To this day, women adopt different parenting styles around the world when it comes to this, and it may have a lot to do with who you are as a person now. In Japan, kids go to school by themselves and can be seen walking or even riding trains and buses by themselves. In Denmark, babies often nap outside in a warm stroller while mom has a cup of coffee with no worries. Meanwhile, lone kids in New York are a cause for worry and can even mean trouble for parents back home.
On birthday parties
Latin American parties demand a lot of energy from Mamas around the world and tend to go on for hours after any preestablished end time. Birthday parties can be huge family events, especially quinceañeros! In Thailand, some people believe it’s rude to celebrate on a day that mom went through so much pain. Instead, these holidays can be seen as a chance to make a monetary donation, donate blood, or do some charity work. It brings luck and good karma for the rest of the year, and kids barely seem to notice that the attention isn’t on them!
On getting help
While all our mothers are clearly superheroes, this doesn’t mean they need to raise their kids on their own. The phrase, “It takes a village,” comes in handy in places like Brazil and Africa where it is very common to have nannies and maids to help lighten the load. With various parenting styles around the world, in some places, it’s even an expectation for financially stable families to provide jobs in the community. In New Zealand, midwives can visit the homes of recent moms for weeks after birth to help out, and in Thailand, grandma and grandpa are never too far away and may even move in to help mom get back to work sooner.
On sleeping arrangements
How old were you when you started sleeping in your own room? Co-sleeping is a norm in places like India where space is limited or in Thailand. It isn’t uncommon to see a mom sleeping in a bed with her child and dad sleeping somewhere else. This also means that kids stay up as late as their parents in a lot of places and don’t adhere to a bedtime or sleep schedule. If mom’s up, I’m up, we always say.
On discipline
If you’ve heard of la chancla, then you probably grew up in a Hispanic household where discipline consists of mom’s sandal, and you’ve learned never to make that mistake again. Tantrums and hissy fits are a given when it comes to the terrible twos, but in Northern Ireland, people get involved. Strangers in the grocery store have no reservations about calming a baby with a temper, and in Turkey, waiters can pick up a fussy kid and bounce him around until he calms down.
On recreation
Date nights and romantic getaways are always hard in the first few years with a new kid, but some places write them out completely. In Jordan, women and men often socialize separately and, while the women may miss their partners, they have many ways to let their hair down and let loose when in the comfort of their girls nights. Family-friendly locations are common in Norway for everyone to spend time together. All around the world, when mom and dad can get away, they probably go glamping.
This Mother’s Day, don’t forget to say thank you for your mom’s hard work by spoiling her rotten. We recommend a gift card to an around-the-world stay worthy of your around-the-world mom.
