Reply to What is “a village”?

Forum Index » General Parenting Discussion

Reply to "What is “a village”?"

Subject:

Emoticons





More smilies

Text Color: Font: Close Marks

[quote=Anonymous]A village to me is a network of adults who are willing and able to step in and parent / coach / mentor your kids both when they see a situation spontaneously arise and when you ask for a favor. It is also being that person for other people’s kids.

I’m naturally awkward and introverted and yet I’ve managed to cultivate a village because my job is flexible and I am willing and able to help. We live in a neighborhood with a lot of State Dept families who move every few years. There are also families with military members who get deployed and families with nurses, doctors, and firefighters who work long shifts that don’t align with school and 9-5 office hours.  To the people who say “never move and hope people in your village don’t move away” - I’ve learned a lot from watching those families. They are fantastic at quickly forming community and building their village because they have no choice. They have figured out what they can offer and I have not found them to be takers that fail to reciprocate.

I don’t know who all these miserable posters are who think grandparents who help out are being used or that any favor given or received is something to tally on a scorecard. It is possible that I give more than I take - but I don’t keep score because giving and being helpful makes me happy. I can think of only two families in my neighborhood who have parents I would describe as takers or who seem to feel weirdly entitled to the volunteer labor of others - but I am still kind and generous to their kids. The kids didn’t ask to be born to those parents. I assume positive intent of others. I’d rather be wrong and stress free than seething about that season I drove 63% of the car pool. [/quote]

Options

	Disable HTML in this message
	Disable BB Code in this message
	Disable smilies in this message

Review message

Search Recent Topics Hottest Topics