By Terra Avilla
There is currently a trend on Tik Tok right now, shaming people for saying “It takes a Village” in reference to the communal effort necessary to raise your children.
The trend basically explains that “there is no village” and parents are often left to their own devices when it comes to any help with their kids.
Well, this struck a nerve with me, because of the village that has helped me raise my children here in our community.
Lassen County is the very best of the best, “Villages.” And it is not just one thing, or one person, or one particular family. It is the totality of everyone pitching in, and loving on children that simply are not yours.
It’s leaving to the bathroom at the restaurant, because you know your 6 year-old is going to be okay because you see your neighbors across the aisle nodding that they “got ‘em” so you can go to the restroom peacefully.
Here is a list of examples from just the past couple weeks, from the “village” that helps me here. And I want it to be known that I am not an anomaly; I constantly see and hear other parents telling the tales of how our community truly raises our children.
Last week Frankie and I were unable to go to Peach’s award ceremony, and unfortunately her band of brothers have left for the summer. I am not over-exaggerating when I say that I had at least ten different mommas send me pictures and videos of my daughter getting her awards. Unsolicited of course.
Why? Because through the benefit of a small town, they know me, they know her, they recognized we weren’t there, and they just stepped in. And it is priceless.
It’s Angela Ciscernos seeing me struggling at Baseball Camp sign-ins, holding a very fussy June, and her just walking around and holding her for me. I didn’t have to ask, I didn’t have to worry, she just did what all the good moms in our “village” do.
It’s Shannon Cook texting me that she thought Peach looked pale while she was at school, so she put a cool towel on her forehead.
It’s everyone cheering for everyone’s kid at little league and softball, because even though it’s not your kiddo up to bat, it’s a child you have loved to watch grow.
It’s the child hearing adults outside of their own family cheering them on. It’s every kid, on every team, knowing that they have several adults rooting for them. A community behind them.
It’s Meegan Moore carrying Pearl around during Vacation Bible School because she fell asleep. It’s the MOPS groups on Facebook that are a constantly uplifting space from parents.
It’s the texts from your friends when they see your teenage daughter running around with her boyfriend.
It’s knowing that even in the crazy world we live in, in our town, our kids are scared, and we love on all of them.
SO, maybe you are new here and you haven’t met your “Village” yet. Rest assured there are hundreds of mamas and parents that will be happy to step in and help.
It’s the spirit of our community that is just so gosh darn wonderful. Please reach out. Because once you see the wonderful hearts that are truly endless in our town, you will never want to raise your kids elsewhere. Because this community – this “village” – is why I love where we live.
