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Thursday, June 20, 2013

Bilingual Gifts from il cocco di mamma

One of the many t-shirts available from il cocco di mamma


As I’ve been learning about raising a bilingual child and searching for related books and toys, friends pointed me to il cocco di mamma, an online boutique with books, tshirts, wooden blocks and other gift ideas in a number of different languages, including Hebrew, Arabic, Chinese and Greek. Of course, I’m smitten by everything in Italian.

The founder, Donna Bottari, was kind enough to share some thoughts with us. Read more about her story on the website. I was happy to discover that we both worked at NYU in Florence, although at different times. Small world, eh?

When did you begin the boutique?
The idea was born around the birth of my nephew Massimo. I wanted him to have the same bi-cultural upbringing and at the same time I wanted to gift  him the most unique gifts. The concept was born out of my love for languages, cultures, and children. I tend to bond with people who have had bi-cultural upbringings, there is an unspoken connection between us. 

How has your vision for the company changed (if it did) as your nephew got older?
The vision has mostly stayed the same. My products are for a certain consumer, a certain niche market, and I wanted to stay special that way. I want to add new tshirts and more toys (wooden), books and videos. I like to feature quality items because I believe it makes the gift extra special and a keepsake. 

Has your nephew (and other relatives) learned Italian or other languages?
My nephews and niece have learned some Italian. At the end of the day, I feel you have to be fully immersed to speak it fluently. However, they absolutely have the openness and sensitivity to the Italian culture and other cultures. My sister in law is fluent in Spanish and lived in Spain many years, so there is definitely a European influence in the household. SO between their home and my parents’ home, they have a deep appreciation and comfort with different languages and ways. I grew up differently than them. I consider myself to be near a native speaker as my parents were both born in Italy. I also have traveled to Italy every year since I was 5 years old and lived as well as studied there. I have a passion for the Italian culture and language but not only I traveled Spain extensively and currently learning the French language. 

Thanks, Donna!

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