Community – Love Your Team

Of course, you love your kid more than anything. Lord knows you would do anything for them at the drop of a hat. But, what happens when they need someone to count on besides their parents? They say it takes a village to raise a kid. Though this has a different meaning than it did when our fire making ancestors used it – it still rings true today. You need a community.

It’s a scary thought that the day will come when our kids want to go to someone else for advice. Or, for someone to (heaven forbid) complain to about how awful their parents are for grounding them. It will happen at some point. Because of this, and a million other reasons, it’s important to surround your family with people who love your kid like their own.

This is not only limited to family. In some cases doesn’t include family at all. Your closest friends are your chosen family. If you have chosen wisely you will never have to worry.

Your team is your team for a reason.

Sometimes it’s because they have been there since you were kids yourself. Other times they have crossed your path in other ways. Regardless of how your team came together, it is important they are involved in your kids lives as much as possible. There is a lot to be learned by watching your friends go about their parenting way. Like anything else, we all learn by watching others. You will pick up the things that work for you and the things that don’t. We all become the product of our surroundings. Surround your family with the right team, it makes every part of dadhood easier.

On top of just being involved in your kid’s lives, many times your friends will be the first experience with something outside the normal routine. Our kiddos have a routine for everything they do. They get up in the morning and have breakfast the same way, they get dressed and go to their daily caretaker the same, they play with the same toys and head back home for dinner the same way every day. Whether we realize it or not, there is a routine in our lives we cannot really avoid. Our team can be the safe way to show our kids there are differences in the world.

Whether it’s a different routine or a difference in parenting style altogether, your kids spending time with others from a young age will be a great way for them to start learning how to interact with changes.

So do your best to surround yourself with a team of people who will love your kids as much as you do and love theirs in return. I promise you will be better for it.