Paper short abstract:

Migrant parents describe not having received an adequate education in their homeland compared to what they consider Italian parenting. The paper analyses how this perception influences migrants' parenthood and identity.

Paper long abstract:

The paper is based on a research project on migration and parenting in Italy among Ecuadorian and Moroccan communities. Migrant parents describe traditional Ecuadorian/Moroccan education as not adequate in opposition to what they consider Italian parenting standards. In reality, what they describe as Italian parenting style has more to do with the global discourse around 'competent parenting', which they equate with 'modernity'. This parenting style highlights the affective and emotional dimension of parenting, promoting an active role of parents for the education of children. It encourages an exclusive parents-child/children relationship. Parents are thought to devote their time and energy solely focussing on the child/children and actively organize children activities. This approach neglects the value of time spent with children simply being together but busy with everyday household activities. As a consequence, migrant parents tend to negatively evaluate how they were taken care in their homeland and consider their settlement in Italy as a way to forget traditional patterns of education and acquire competent parenting.