Monday night soapbox: It takes a village…

I’m a big believer in the “It takes a Village” parenting philosophy. Even if you’re not a Hilary fan, it’s hard to argue that kids are not influenced heavily by the people around them – both those with whom they have familial ties and those they interact with on a regular basis outside of the family bonds.

I know I am a product of lots of great influences in my life – a group of older couples who became surrogate grandparents to me, the adults in my neighborhood, my teachers, my youth pastors. I can think back and name dozens of people that shaped the person (good and bad parts) that I am now.

That’s why I’m thankful for the relationships my kids have with people outside of our family. It’s great that we have so many family members close by (a relatively rare case for a Vegas family), but we’re dually blessed to have lots of friends around to be positive role models for our kids.

We’re also really blessed to have a great group of teachers guiding our kids each day at school. Every once in awhile, I get grief from a well-meaning SAHM friend or two who inadvertently gives me the “I don’t know how you can let someone else raise your kids” guilt trip – or at least tries to.

Sorry. I don’t take that guilt trip.

Here’s how I see it. It’s a big world. Homer and my perspectives and opinions are just two sets in a giant pool of ideas that our kids can draw from as they grow up. We want them to go to school with people who aren’t like us. We want them to go to school with kids who don’t look like them. We want them to go to school and be different and learn that it’s okay and that they can learn from others instead of being afraid or judgmental of those differences.

Are we going to let them loose to wander aimlessly through the forest of confusion? No. Are we going to let them get caught up in some sort of wacko cult because we’re taking a laissez-faire approach? Of course not. With these influences will come critical thinking skills. You can appreciate other perspectives and cultures without adopting them as your own.

So, if you’re a member of our “village,” thanks for keeping your “hut” nearby.