Outside the village...

[jay]

I'm frankly envious of parents with community support... for example, dawnd and akienm are able to find a series of sitters for Allegra so that they could go to a weekend workshop in LA. Without having to, say, fly in Dawn's mother from back East... it's great for them, and I think they'll add a lot to that workshop. But I know that I couldn't do the same thing, and that Pat and I are pretty much on our own as far as child-raising goes... no net, here. When crises have hit, my only option has been to fly in one or the other grandmothers for a while, and/or take vacation time and stay home as well.

Still, that's a natural consequence of not being a part of any particular community, other than sort of tolerated on the fringes... I have only myself to reproach, arguably, for not giving enough or conforming sufficiently.

Comments

[dangerpudding.livejournal.com]

I know that as I get to know David better, and as you get to know me better, I'd be happy to offer a hand with this, if you were ok with it. I have a sister who is much like David and who still, at 14, requires some of that attention all the time. I used to handle her and the two younger then her for days at a time- and trade off with my parents in doing it at social events. Having more people to help with that could maybe help it feel like it's worth going to such events?

[tenacious-snail.livejournal.com]

w00t! Lets kill two birds with one stone-- lets send Pat and Jay out, while you and I get to have dinner together and knit.