It takes a village

I don’t really like the saying “It takes a village to raise a child.”  My reasoning is stupid and nonsensical.  Years ago Hillary Clinton wrote a book titled “It Takes a Village.”  I’m not really a Hillary fan, and I wonder by she wrote a book about child rearing.  Not that being a mother of an only child means you’ll have an easy time parenting – quite the contrary.  I just always thought of Chelsea Clinton as the type of child who raised herself and never really required guidance.  I see her punishing herself for something like a 5 minute bedtime infraction – she was finishing “Ulysses” for the second time… 

So despite my absurd aversion to an old adage, I have to concede – It does, in fact, take a village to raise a child.  In my case – 2 boys. 

I didn’t work for several years because Husband and I didn’t know who else would take care of the minutiae of life.  With his job he can’t do the taking and picking, and babysitting, and doctor visits, and vet appointments and repair men who never show, and early class dismissal and on and on and on. So I did these things because sometimes finding a job just wasn't worth the hassle.But my job found me so into the world of work again I went. 

I got to thinking how many people I rely on so I can work and make a little money. 

Members of Anne’s village:

·         The Monday/Wednesday/Friday sitter for Bruce
·         The Tuesday/Thursday sitter for Bruce
·         The preschool teacher for Reed
·         The housekeeper
·         The one who gets Bruce will the above people can’t
·         The neighbor who lets me know when the dogs get out
·         The other neighbor who puts the dogs back in
·         The one who lets the dogs out on especially long days
·         The ones who will do “all other duties as assigned” like go to the grocery store, overlook my messy house, pick up the house when it’s being shown, and get me a diet coke when you go to Sonic

And the most recent task a villager has been asked to do – Make the birthday cupcakes for Bruce to take to school tomorrow. 

He ALWAYS has homemade ones.  Does it matter if I don’t do them?  I think not.  After all, Hillary says “It takes a village!”