It Takes A Village, Seriously.

During my mommy group's monthly gathering yesterday, several of us commented on that old adage "It takes a whole village to raise a child."  That is the God's honest truth.  There is no way to (sanely) raise a child solely on your own.

Your village is not necessarily where you live.  It's your community, your family, your friends, everyone who helps you with the upbringing of your child(ren).  I've become that woman in the store who approaches the parent with the uncontrollable, screaming child, asking if I can help.  Sometimes, I get the look that says "Get the hell away, crazy lady."  But often, I get the look that says "Oh yes, thank God!"  We've all been there.  There are days where your child simply will not listen to reason and especially not to you.  But when Grandma, or Auntie, or Crazy Lady steps in, the kid simmers right down.  That's your village.

As a newly single mother, I'm still figuring out this solo babyraising business.  I hardly had time to figure it out as a co-parent, before I was thrust into doing it all on my own.  It is every bit as hard as other single parents claim.  Harder, actually.  In the last two months, I've had more bad days than good.  The good days are very good, but the bad days are soul-crushing.  I'm only being the slightest bit dramatic.  I often drop my head in both my hands and cry.  Fortunately, my parents have been extremely involved with taking care of both of us.  My sister-in-law has become a second mother to my Babydoll, and both of my brothers happily (and easily) fill the father-figure role.  My friends... oh, man.  I'd be lost without them.

Everyone needs a village, and not just for raising children.  Life is hard.  At times, it's so hard that it's ridiculous.  You need people on whom you can rely to pick you up when life has knocked you down.  Someone to call at 2 am who will answer their phone.  Someone to bring you a bottle of wine or a box of cupcakes.  And you definitely need someone who doesn't make you feel like a whiny crybaby when you unload all of your problems on them.  I have lots of those someones.  I'm a lucky girl.