It Takes A Village

A 9-year-old boy in Carthage, Mississippi lived in the same house with his deceased mother for three weeks. The story shocked the country. The boy had no where to turn. His mother had no connections with neighbors. The nieghborhood wasn’t a community. “It takes a village,” said Psychologist Sunaina Jain.

“It takes more than one person to raise children.”

According to recent polls, most American parents just don’t have the time to cultivate a community of friends. The poll suggested that parents spend an average of just 22 hours per week at home, leaving little time for them to get to know their neighbors. Something that experts said was an important part of development.

For Crystal, a 16-years-old, additional community support is found in the local Boys and Girls club. “If [kids] need a shoulder to lean on, they can just come to basically anybody and tell the them their problems.

Parents can get their child connected to their community in a number of ways, including churches, social organizations, or neighborhood residents. Establishing a community atmosphere of some manner is imperative for children, experts said.

 What Parents Should Know

One of the key assets a strong community offers is a support system, wider than the home, for children. Kid’s can also benefit from the additional adult interaction of this “extended family.” “

Because the pre-requisite for emotional maturity and health is safety, security, attachment and access to adults, from where you learn how to be a human being in society and that’s changed so much,” said Dr. Jain.

Given the opportunity to spend time with adults, children will be more likely grasp social and communication skills that will carry them into the next stage of development.

Although it may not be feasible to have a backyard barbeque once a week, there are many other ways to involve your children in community-like activities including: sports organizations, library clubs, after school clubs, or even afternoons in the park with family friends.