When friends first meet my family, a few things happen within five minutes: my loudness instantly makes perfect sense, the friend is given something to eat, and my family brings up the fact that we're Italian at least three times. Being Italian is a big thing among a lot of Italian-Americans, and our culture and heritage are a source of comfort and strength. This is particularly true when we have kids, because we need to pass on our way of life. So I've put together some tips from an Italian-American mom that I think every mom should know and follow. Why? Guys, because there are some things we just know, OK?

Growing up in a family that strongly identified as Italian-American was fantastic and weird. We were, in most ways, a typical American family, but somehow different. The families on TV didn't necessarily ring completely true to our experiences or lives, but there were nevertheless lots of Italians represented in pop culture (mostly as mobsters, but we're OK with that as a group) so I felt both seen and represented, but simultaneously unique.