Can we talk about the importance of a village for a sec?
It really does take a village to raise a child! Especially during the first year of life when they’re helpless and extremely dependent.
Infants need 24 hour supervision, and that’s a lot for parents to handle by themselves, especially once they return to work and have additional responsibilities.
I am very thankful for my village! They’ve helped my husband and I countless times these past 5 months and they continue to support us selflessly with no hidden agenda, no quid pro quo.
Whether it’s watching her for a few hours in the morning (or a whole day) after I’ve come off a nightshift, or babysitting while we go out, or coming over just to spend time with her and show her love, we truly appreciate our village.
I can only imagine what single parents go through who truly don’t have any outside help. Or parents who move to a foreign place and have to sometimes rely on strangers for help.
We have been very fortunate to have family members and close family friends to help us babysit when we need it.
If you know a friend or family member who recently had a baby, I encourage you to reach out to those new parents and offer help (only if you mean it.)
If you don’t feel comfortable watching a newborn/infant, then simply making them a meal in the first few months would help tremendously because they’ll be too tired to cook for themselves.
Or come fold some laundry.
Only half-kidding about that one.
How do we go through so many clothes in one week?!
But I digress…
Moms and Dads, don’t ever feel bad about asking for help or leaning on your village for help. You don’t have to do this parenting thing alone! It’s better to rely on the kindness of others than to struggle alone and have your baby suffer the consequences. It does not make you weak in any way, shape, or form.
Love,
Meg
