Wednesday 2 June, Noto

The Italians are quite happy to drive around with their small children on their laps in the front, or clambering around in the back. Or indeed perched precariously on the back of a moped dodging through traffic. What car seats there are are usually storage vessels for non toddler based items. Yet, walk around town with your toddler not wearing a hat (usually after it has been scornfully dispensed with for the twentieth time) and expect long lectures from strangers on what a bad parent you are. And how beautiful your daughter is. She doesn't deserve you, you know. Bad parent. Such bellisimo hair. Dreadful parenting. And why are her cheeks red? Teething you say? Nonsense. It's the sun. Bad parent. What age is she? Only two? But that means she has to suffer another sixteen years of your parenting.