To grandmothers house we go

The myth of the Italian mamma is losing its grip, with women prioritising studies and work over starting a family, says recent demographics study. The average age for women to have their first child has risen from 25 to 29, said Istat, which surveyed 50,000 women who gave birth in 2003. And although Italy has the lowest female employment rate in Europe, with only 45.3 percent of women between 15 and 64 holding jobs, a growing number of mammas are realizing that having kids doesn’t necessarily mean quitting work. Around a fifth of population is now either a nonna (granny) or nonno (grandpa), and 57 percent of these regularly look after their grandchildren, according to Istat.