It Takes a Village

An old proverb states that "It takes a village to raise a child." I have always believed this proverb, in theory. However, I had come to believe the days of "a village" raising a child were sadly gone. Nowadays people are afraid to scold someone else's child or offer unsolicited advice because they may be crossing over some unseen boundary line. I thought the days of your neighbor yelling out her window at your child to get out of the road and onto the sidewalk were just reserved for reruns of "Leave It to Beaver." I thought we had all become a little too isolated and a little too cautious and a little too, well, a lot of things. For many reasons, I secretly wish I lived back in the 1950's when kids all played together in the neighborhood and every parent watched out for every kid and was not afraid to scold when necessary and hug when needed. I had thought this picture of a community caring for children was just a dream of a simpler time. I was wrong. When I was on maternity leave I was lucky to get the chance to spend more time with my sister, who is an at-home mom. She invited me to play group each week, book club each month, and play dates at McDonald's when the kids needed to run around on rainy days. I got to meet my sister's group of "mom friends." I have come to realize I am truly blessed to have my sister and this group of moms. I had a lot of fun while on leave with this group, but it was once I headed back to work that I realized how fortunate I really am. I asked my sister if she could pick Jack up from daycare and take him to play group so he could continue to enjoy the new friends and the activities. She graciously said sure. Then our friend Rachel offered to pick Jack up for book club or for play group if my sister couldn't make it. Then when the group started going to the park after play group when the weather got nice, they all wished Jack could go too, and Senice offered to take him to the park and then back to daycare. We've all joked that no one knows who is in charge of watching Jack at all these events. (We've also joked that Jack will ride with any one that has a snack for him!) But the jokes aside, I know everyone is watching him. I also know everyone is helping to raise him, whether by giving him a needed time out, or a hug, or a lap to sit on, or a million other moments that help to make him who he will become. This is my village and I am so grateful to have found it.