Family members and the Italian government work almost equally as hard to support a nuclear family with strong ties. Italian families' solidarity has its roots in the past and continues as one of many Italian traditions. Many families have lived in the same house for centuries. Grandparents take pride in knowing their grandchildren will be reared in the same house their grandparents were born in. Babysitters were a foreign idea in Italy until recently, and even now they are mostly a northern phenomenon.
Grandparents also help raise young children while the parents are at work.
Many Italians take a siesta from work each day to go home and eat lunch with their family and to nap. Many women prefer teaching as a career so they can spend more time with their children, and in a recent survey, a large majority of women chose family over a career in order of importance. After giving birth, women are given a year to care for their babies while the government guarantees that their jobs will be there after the year is over. If a woman wants, she may take an additional year off and take a pay cut, but her employer must rehire her when she returns after two years away from work. The Italian government even grants time off for fathers who wish to spend time bonding with their children.