Today on the walk to school, I remember that saying, “It takes a village to raise a child,” or the Africa proverb, “A child does not grow up in one home only.” It’s because today, one child has so much to say to another father on the walk to school. Even after listening for nearly 20 minutes, he says to this boy, “Do you have anything else to tell me?” It was precious and wonderful to see their connection.
I remember back in 2011 when my daughter held another mother’s hand on the walk to school. I think of how many mothers they know now that, in years to come, will have been like mothers to them. How many times will they say, “She was like a mother to me”?
Who might say that of me?
My daughter calls one mother her “other mother” and another home her “second home.” It feels like such a blessing to live in a neighborhood like this where all the parents gather and raise the children together. We’re not alone in this task of parenting, and it feels like it’s the way it should be.