The "village". Why communal child rearing doesn't translate easily to American culture.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think you’re incorrect. I think it comes down to the fact that American women can earn money and aren’t interested in providing free labor for others. I’d argue people in your village didn’t have good opportunities, including even leisure activities, and were expected to provide unpaid labor.

Individualism mindset. Refusal to help each other even though it is what is best for everyone. “Free Labor” you mean helping out your family members???

DP
I would consider that free labor as it mostly falls unfairly to women who are treated as "less than" - in other cultures and in ours.

+100000

A village just means relying on unpaid female labor. That’s it. Usually because people don’t have any money or means to outsource care.

Many Americans help out family members. There’s a difference between occasionally helping a family member out, and being a full time caregiver.

#1, not necessarily, #2, if “unpaid labor” is reciprocated, it doesn’t really matter that it’s “female labor.”

I have seen how this works in my family. People contribute their time, their knowledge, their skills. Your 2nd cousin the doctor will come with you to your appointment when you’ve gotten a bad diagnosis. Your rich brother will pitch in so you go on a nicer vacation with him or get your kids nice things for school. Your older relative will watch your kids after school (NOT full time caregiving!!). It’s a social safety net. Right now Americans don’t have that- from the government or their families. We’re big losers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think you’re incorrect. I think it comes down to the fact that American women can earn money and aren’t interested in providing free labor for others. I’d argue people in your village didn’t have good opportunities, including even leisure activities, and were expected to provide unpaid labor.

Individualism mindset. Refusal to help each other even though it is what is best for everyone. “Free Labor” you mean helping out your family members???

DP
I would consider that free labor as it mostly falls unfairly to women who are treated as "less than" - in other cultures and in ours.

+100000

A village just means relying on unpaid female labor. That’s it. Usually because people don’t have any money or means to outsource care.

Many Americans help out family members. There’s a difference between occasionally helping a family member out, and being a full time caregiver.

#1, not necessarily, #2, if “unpaid labor” is reciprocated, it doesn’t really matter that it’s “female labor.”

I have seen how this works in my family. People contribute their time, their knowledge, their skills. Your 2nd cousin the doctor will come with you to your appointment when you’ve gotten a bad diagnosis. Your rich brother will pitch in so you go on a nicer vacation with him or get your kids nice things for school. Your older relative will watch your kids after school (NOT full time caregiving!!). It’s a social safety net. Right now Americans don’t have that- from the government or their families. We’re big losers.

Exactly. We are middle eastern Americans and this is how we operate!

[Anonymous]

OP, you’re writing about some supposedly “American” culture as though it’s monolithic. It’s not.

[Anonymous]

What’s with this weird HS short essay situation?

[Anonymous]

“The village” concepts is only applicable for keeping kids alive. It really isn’t meant for raising kids at today’s standards of travel sports, math tutor to get your kid 3 yrs accelerated, private music lessons, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What’s with this weird HS short essay situation?

Probably AI or chatGPT

[Anonymous]

A lot of people don’t really like their extended family and don’t want them raising their kids

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A lot of people don’t really like their extended family and don’t want them raising their kids

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think you’re incorrect. I think it comes down to the fact that American women can earn money and aren’t interested in providing free labor for others. I’d argue people in your village didn’t have good opportunities, including even leisure activities, and were expected to provide unpaid labor.

Individualism mindset. Refusal to help each other even though it is what is best for everyone. “Free Labor” you mean helping out your family members???

DP
I would consider that free labor as it mostly falls unfairly to women who are treated as "less than" - in other cultures and in ours.

+100000

A village just means relying on unpaid female labor. That’s it. Usually because people don’t have any money or means to outsource care.

Many Americans help out family members. There’s a difference between occasionally helping a family member out, and being a full time caregiver.

#1, not necessarily, #2, if “unpaid labor” is reciprocated, it doesn’t really matter that it’s “female labor.”

I have seen how this works in my family. People contribute their time, their knowledge, their skills. Your 2nd cousin the doctor will come with you to your appointment when you’ve gotten a bad diagnosis. Your rich brother will pitch in so you go on a nicer vacation with him or get your kids nice things for school. Your older relative will watch your kids after school (NOT full time caregiving!!). It’s a social safety net. Right now Americans don’t have that- from the government or their families. We’re big losers.

Re point #2 yes it does matter if is reciprocated because while the women are taking care of family members, the men are sitting around eating food they didn’t cook and watching sports.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think you’re incorrect. I think it comes down to the fact that American women can earn money and aren’t interested in providing free labor for others. I’d argue people in your village didn’t have good opportunities, including even leisure activities, and were expected to provide unpaid labor.

Individualism mindset. Refusal to help each other even though it is what is best for everyone. “Free Labor” you mean helping out your family members???

DP
I would consider that free labor as it mostly falls unfairly to women who are treated as "less than" - in other cultures and in ours.

+100000

A village just means relying on unpaid female labor. That’s it. Usually because people don’t have any money or means to outsource care.

Many Americans help out family members. There’s a difference between occasionally helping a family member out, and being a full time caregiver.

#1, not necessarily, #2, if “unpaid labor” is reciprocated, it doesn’t really matter that it’s “female labor.”

I have seen how this works in my family. People contribute their time, their knowledge, their skills. Your 2nd cousin the doctor will come with you to your appointment when you’ve gotten a bad diagnosis. Your rich brother will pitch in so you go on a nicer vacation with him or get your kids nice things for school. Your older relative will watch your kids after school (NOT full time caregiving!!). It’s a social safety net. Right now Americans don’t have that- from the government or their families. We’re big losers.

Re point #2 yes it does matter if is reciprocated because while the women are taking care of family members, the men are sitting around eating food they didn’t cook and watching sports.

+1 I think this is most true when the kids are little. Taking care of young kids is relentless work.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What’s with this weird HS short essay situation?

It's a propaganda post as are some of the supportive replies. It's more from the same ilk that wants women out of the workforce and doing all the childcare, home care etc. Expect to see more of this the same way we are inundated with SAHM posts regularly now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think you’re incorrect. I think it comes down to the fact that American women can earn money and aren’t interested in providing free labor for others. I’d argue people in your village didn’t have good opportunities, including even leisure activities, and were expected to provide unpaid labor.

Individualism mindset. Refusal to help each other even though it is what is best for everyone. “Free Labor” you mean helping out your family members???

DP
I would consider that free labor as it mostly falls unfairly to women who are treated as "less than" - in other cultures and in ours.

+100000

A village just means relying on unpaid female labor. That’s it. Usually because people don’t have any money or means to outsource care.

Many Americans help out family members. There’s a difference between occasionally helping a family member out, and being a full time caregiver.

#1, not necessarily, #2, if “unpaid labor” is reciprocated, it doesn’t really matter that it’s “female labor.”

I have seen how this works in my family. People contribute their time, their knowledge, their skills. Your 2nd cousin the doctor will come with you to your appointment when you’ve gotten a bad diagnosis. Your rich brother will pitch in so you go on a nicer vacation with him or get your kids nice things for school. Your older relative will watch your kids after school (NOT full time caregiving!!). It’s a social safety net. Right now Americans don’t have that- from the government or their families. We’re big losers.

Exactly. We are middle eastern Americans and this is how we operate!

I think the two of you are being disingenuous. Typical of posts that claim an entire area instead of a specific culture. Anyway sure there's some positives to "village" concept of raising children.family but there are also drawbacks.

[Anonymous]

Individualism is definitely an major aspect of White American culture and many people of all backgrounds like it. When people here talk about a "village" they are thinking about government funded supports, which I think are important and we need more of.

Cultures that are more communal can be wonderful too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Individualism is definitely an major aspect of White American culture and many people of all backgrounds like it. When people here talk about a "village" they are thinking about government funded supports, which I think are important and we need more of.

Cultures that are more communal can be wonderful too.

It can also be toxic. The whole “family is everything” motto can lead to people staying in situations with family members who are toxic and damaging because “they are family” further extending generational damage.

[Anonymous]

Lawsuits in American culture.