Ever since Babes was born my reading has fallen to the wayside. For awhile it was because nothing interested me even though I had a reading list that was a mile long. Then it became a sleep or die situation in our household - when Babes sleeps you better sleep! Now that we're on a semi-normal (is there a normal anymore with a 5 month old) sleeping schedule I've started to read more.

Books have been taking so long to read. I was starting to have to page back to the beginning parts of the book to reread sections because I had forgotten what had happened. Combine that with sleep deprivation and reading became more of a chore than anything.

I've always loved blogs for the simple reason that blog posts are short and sweet and fascinating! Blog articles always lead me to another blog article. Or sometimes they lead me to a new article online that I would have never found myself. So now I fancy myself an article reader vs. a book reader. I will always read books (and look for recommendations), but now I am more apt to read an article that takes me 5 minutes to read and discuss with with my hubby over dinner or my friends over a glass of wine. The birth of Article Club!

This week's article: Motherhood Around the World brought to you by my favorite blog, A Cup of Jo. Why not assign a series instead of one article...that's how I roll.

Joanna Goodard, my imaginary blog best friend (BBF), interviews a series of moms around the world, asking them about parenting in their respective countries. I believe most of the moms were raised or from the United States and usually compare what motherhood is like in their new countries vs. the United States.

I was amazed by each mom and country. I would feel so lost being a mom in a different country then what I was raised in, but these moms take it all in stride. They discuss postpartum care, how communities come together to help raise the babies, what eating is like for little ones in other countries (which right now is a debate in our household: how to introduce Babes to solid food), and how kids play. (A diaper-free culture in China is discussed! What?! Potty training on a completely different level. Not up my alley, but I can see the benefit of no diapers.) It was kind of like a virtual mommy support group offering insights and opinions on different ideas of parenting. I wish I could have sat down with all of them in one room with a glass of wine to discuss being a mommy.

So read bits and pieces when you have time, with a glass of wine if you can!

 {photo via Artist Vasare Nar}