Since I was a child, I’ve heard the phrase over and over: “It takes a village to raise a child.”
Now that I am a mother I know this African proverb is so accurate.
This Mother’s Day I am grateful for my village who continues to help me raise my babies. There is absolutely nothing like having peace of mind about your babies.
When I returned to the office from maternity leave this week, my Mom was caring for my children. I only called mid-day so it appeared that I had some sort of thought and concern about their well-being. The truth is that I knew I did not have to worry.
Since my daughter Iwa was born, there was always my Mother-in-Law and Aunties (actual blood-related Aunts) who traveled far to come to our aide. And we thank God.
I grew up in a family that turned their noses up at daycare centers because there was always a family member available for childcare. As a Floridian, there are yearly reminders of the perils families find themselves in when local news channels reveal breaking news of a toddler left in the back of a daycare center van. While this can happen to families who care for their small children at home, in Florida it’s an epidemic and every parent’s nightmare.
I thank God for all the people who have the heart for children. You know those people who know just what to do with a difficult child. Is it me or do children seem to respond to their calm, cool, and quiet demeanor? Or those folks who know just what’s wrong with a baby they barely know? There is something special about that type of real life experience that every millennial Mom wishes someone could document in a book or record on a podcast. But certain things are just intuitive, natural, or part of their make up.
Whatever it is…I thank God for it and hope to someday have it to share with my grandchildren, nieces, nephews, cousins, God Children.
Until then, we just have to soak up the good sense from our village and someday hope to pass it on.
**There are many others who are not in these photographs but our love and appreciation is the same.
