About Lisa Sissons & her Blog
Lisa is a winner of Top 25 European Moms - 2012
What's the best part about raising a family in the European Union?
As a Canadian, I would have to say that it is all of the opportunities available to travel and learn. My husband is British and Finley was Italian, and we were like our own little League of Nations. I was so proud to be such a multicultural family, and we had every intention of showing Finley as much of the world as we could.
If he was still alive, he would be British and Canadian as well, and I would have wanted him to know as much about each of his cultures as possible.
What's a great destination for a family vacation in Europe?
The UK is amazing! There are so many different options available for people who enjoy all different types of adventures. From centuries old castles, to beautiful beaches, the breathtakingly beautiful Highlands in Scotland...there really is something for everyone.
If you are travelling here from abroad, London is a great place to base yourself, as it is quite an easy commute to many of the larger cities. Visit the famous sites in London along the River Thames.
You can indulge your children in a rich history, and take them to some of the places that inspired some of their favourite stories - from Robin Hood and Sherwood Forest, to Winnie the Pooh and the Hundred Acre Wood, to Harry Potter and the various locations from the books and films.
There are many farms, safari parks and zoos to visit. Country houses, parks and festivals.
There really is an endless amount of things to do, and would recommend it to anyone looking for somewhere amazing to visit!
What's the biggest misconception people have about raising a family in the European Union?
I think for me a lot of people think that my life is always just one big happy adventure, but there is still a lot of the normal day to day. I still go to work and do all of the normal things that I did in Canada.
Certainly when we moved to Italy, when people asked us about what it was like, they expected wonderful tales of living in a villa with fabulous fresh food, the sea and sun. And while these things certainly were true, I was also pregnant, very ill with morning sickness, and had some struggles initially with meeting other families in the area. There was also the language barrier, which for me was daunting when I knew that I would be delivering our son there (though I was lucky to have delivered in an American hospital, he was transferred out to an Italian one before he passed away and this added a lot of confusion on top of an already stressful situation).
What are your favorite Blog Posts?
Lisa's Answers
What's your family's favorite Thanksgiving treat? Please link to your recipe.
I love pumpkin pie, and really look forward to it at this time of year. I genuinely don't think you can have Thanksgiving without it.
Because I am Canadian, I celebrate Thanksgiving in October. Living in the UK makes it difficult to come by some of the typical ingredients and items that one in the USA or Canada would come to expect at this time of year.
I discovered that I couldn't buy frozen pie crusts or canned pumpkin in the shops, but luckily Amazon delivered the pumpkin right to my door!
View All Answers
Aside from a birth certificate, what legal documents should a parent file after having a child?
For my family it would be citizenship in Canada as well as Britain (I'm Canadian and my husband is English). We would want to ensure that our children had dual nationality as well as passports for each country.
View All Answers
What's the craziest or funniest thing you felt driven to do while pregnant and nesting? (If there's an image that goes along with your story, please share the link with us!)
Because we lived in a villa in Italy while I was pregnant, we had very high ceilings and very large windows. When I was near my due date I decided it would be a fantastic idea to redecorate the living room. This involved hanging new curtains...which involved standing on quite a high ladder. It was a bit nerve racking with my massive belly! The worst part was that the curtain rails weren't very secure and my efforts were wasted when they fell off the wall!
View All Answers
What are the most important things to do while on maternity leave before going back to work?
My answer is, as usual, not the one that people would usually consider. When you picture being on maternity leave, you imagine love and joy at spending time with your new baby, sleepless nights, new routines, changing relationships. But for me my maternity leave was spent grieving.
In the UK if your baby is stillborn or dies as a new born (like my son did), you are still entitled to your full maternity leave and pay. I think this is a very good thing, because it gives you the time you need to grieve without worrying about if you will have a job to go back to or how you will pay the bills.
When I started working again, it was shortly before my maternity leave would have normally ended. It was like a stab in the heart that I was back at work, when I actually had never intended on going back when my son was born. I so desperately wanted the life with him that I imagined. Maternity leave was not what it should have been, but then nothing in my life is how it should be now that he is gone.
View All Answers
What are you most looking forward to as a mom in 2013? Please include a link to a picture if it's relevant.
As a mother who's only child is no longer living, I am trying to look forward to carry on with my healing. I always look forward to finding new ways to connect with my son and to keep his memory alive.
My husband, dog and I are taking a big step by moving from the UK to Canada. I look forward to finding our dream house and being able to really settle down in a way that we weren't able to whilst he has been in the army.
The biggest thing I think I'm looking forward to is getting pregnant with Finley's little brother or sister. I have no way of knowing if that will be in 2013 or not, but as a mother who has dreamed of having a full house, I think that it will help to bring some healing to my very broken heart.
View All Answers
What's the most unique or fun way to announce a pregnancy that you've seen? Please share a link with a picture if it's relevant.
When a friend found out she was having a little boy, she did an announcement by sharing a photo of her bump with one of those cute little moustaches stuck on. It was very sweet.
View All Answers
