online coffee

Behind the curtains #6 : conversation with 4 hip mums living in 4 European cities. Some like it black, others iced, then there are the ones who like it with "just the frothed milk, a sprinkle of chocolate on top and the accompanying cookie".
The last-named people are the little ones of Courtney, Esther, Emilie and Michela -4 girlfriends who introduced, in London, the concept of a babyccino to keep their toddlers quiet while they met in cafés discussing topics like style, kids and life.
Babyccino soon turned into a blog when they eventually moved back to Milan for Michela, Paris for Emilie and Amsterdam for Esther while Courtney stayed in London.

I had an online conversation with these 4 urban mums about kids, style and fashion and wanted to share with you the best moments of it.


You met in London -what's great about London for a family with kids?

Everyone agrees that London is great with kids for “its many lovely parks and museums" and also because it’s "an enormous and hugely diverse city and a cultural environment”. Emilie likes the idea of raising kids “in a tolerant environment" and Esther loves the "immense amount of classes for kids (arts, music, dance, sports), and the many, SO MANY super-cute shops for kids!"
The worst thing is the sheer size of the city, “so homes are small and backyards are limited”, says Courtney who is constantly telling her kids "to stop running & yelling so as not to disturb the neighbors!". “And it’s so hard to find a place in the right school”, says Emilie.

You now live in four different cities/countries. What's best about this city for a family with kids? And the worst thing?

Michela likes to live in Milan as "it’s so near to nice mountains, lakes and the Itlian Riviera for seaside", but regrets that there's "no place really thought to be child friendly".
Esther loves Amsterdam as “you can cycle everywhere very safely and even get a ‘bakfiets’ if you have more than two kids". But she doesn’t like when it rains and deplores the lack of service.
Emilie enjoys living in Paris as it has "great state-run schools and lots of activities for kids, like workshops in museums on the weekends", but she finds the parks a bit small and thinks it’s a pity that “you’re not allowed to walk on the grass".

How would you define the style of kids living in London/Milan/Amsterdam/Paris?

Courtney finds the kids’ style “more interesting in Europe than in America” and is particularly attracted to either the French or the Belgian kids’ clothes. Michela finds the kids’ style in Milan “very smart and traditional”, while Esther describes kids in Amsterdam "with long hair (also boys), trendy and mischievous". And in Paris, Emilie often sees “kids dressed in a similar style to their parents, like little grown-ups -chic with an edge”.

What's your favourite outfit for your daughter/son? What's her/his favourite?

When mothers like “ a pair of Bonpoint dungarees” for Courtney, “a hip dress with leggings” for Michela, “a cute little dress (plain no frills) with mary jane shoes” for Esther or “a pair of skinny H&M jeans with a pair of Vans and a Guns & Roses T-shirt”...
Kids prefer their pyjamas or bathrobe or jean+trainers or a bright pink princess dress. Funny thing is : “when her daughter mixes up her style, she manages to pull it off”, must admit Emilie.

What was the last thing that your kid did/said that left you speechless?

They all had either very sweet or embarrassing stories to share, so I had to pick up one. Here's Michela's :

In the car after a 2 hour drive from Padova to the seaside town I’m folding all the cables from the DVD player and Tommaso insists I immediately take his dummies and put them away.
Tommaso : mum, mum, get them.
Mummy : Tommaso, wait a minute please. It may come as a surprise to you but the world does not always revolve around you.
Tommaso : When you say things like this, you break my heart.


Thank you very much ladies for this and please, keep up the good work!
(illustration by Rita Lee)