Momhood - It Really Does Take a Village

Moms, if there is one thing we all need from the moment we birth our child, it is a Village. Not just any village but your own Village. It is not impossible to do it alone but it is so much sweeter when we have the wisdom of experience to help guide us. The beautiful thing is that you get to choose who will be in your village. This is your team that you get to create as much for your child’s well being as your own. Like minded parents with like minded philosophies about child rearing. In a way, you will be having silent interviews in your mind as you interact with other parents and you can identify fairly quickly who you would like on your team and much to your delight, it can be a mutual decision. Try to make it as diverse as possible with creatives, arts, dance, music, nature, people who can help expand your child’s awe of the world. Fill it with beauty and love. In the case that you are a single parent, your village will be so much more important and mentors will be key. Although we think that our immediate family is automatically in the Village and most of the time that is true, it is not always the case. We all know the grandmother or the in-laws who will do what they think is OK even if it is against your wishes based on their own belief systems, especially when it comes to the dietary preferences. Those conversations are hard to have or enforce except in the case of severe allergies, in which case, everyone is on board.

Your village will evolve as your child grows or if your family moves to another part of the world, where you will have to look for a new Village, which sometimes is not so easy. Luckily there are Mom/child groups that you can source wherever you land. Your child can be such an amazing barometer as well. Oftentimes, your child chooses their own village as they get a little older. The parents of their friends oftentimes become life long friends of yours. The hardest part will always be when / if you ever let your child sleep over at anyone else’s house. Our advice, trust your gut every time…. and, Always remember, this is your Village and you get to make the decisions of what and who is safe and trustworthy for your child’s well being and your peace of mind.