My son is still very young, but almost every day I think about the people that contribute to his growth and well-being. There is no need to list everyone I can think of here, but that list will also get bigger as he gets older. Regardless of who is on that list, I definitely believe in the saying that “it takes a village to raise a child”.
Where did this saying come from? There was a book written by Hillary Clinton in the 1990s, however, the saying was around long before that. Supposedly, it comes from the African continent, but that has been debated. In any case, it is something to consider if you are a parent.
For me, I think it is important to both the parent(s) and child that there are multiple people in the child’s life. To me, children need to learn that they can depend on others. There is just too much pressure for a parent and a child if one makes the other person his or her entire world. Even for single parents, it is important to understand that you cannot do it all alone. You need support, and your child should be introduced to other members of the community that will be a part of their lives as they grow and become adults.
If you are a parent, does your child (or children) have a “village” that surrounds them? If not, are there people you can add to create a village for them? If you already have some outside support for your children, could you use more? Your village is probably changing from time to time, but hopefully you can periodically reflect on your child’s village and see if any adjustments need to be made. Together, we can all work to help raise our children. There is no reason you have to go it alone.