“Don’t worry alone.”
As a psychologist, this is advice that I often give — to myself, to patients, and to colleagues.
Yet this advice isn’t just for therapy. “Not worrying alone” is essential for our everyday work as parents, friends, family members, and citizens.
You See, Parenting is Not Easy
Parenting is one of the greatest challenges that I’ve ever faced.
It’s hard, folks! Parenting is physically, emotionally, and financially demanding — no doubt about it. I mean, who are these little beings who just need so much from me every single day?
And I often feel like I’m solely responsible for every aspect of my children’s lives, which only further intensifies my experience of these demands.
This misbelief of sole responsibility is not healthy or realistic — but I don’t think I’m alone in occasionally slipping into this feeling. In the US, parents are often blamed when anything goes sideways. (Let’s be honest: Usually the moms are blamed!)
Parenting is hard enough; parenting while feeling alone is even harder.
Sharing Responsibility
Get ready to roll your eyes, because I’m about to remind you that, yes: It takes a village.
I know, it’s cliché at this point, but this proverb (possibly of African origin) is often cited for a reason.
Humans are an interdependent species. That is, we literally need each other to survive and thrive.
So when people say “it takes a village,” they are reminding us of the importance of connection and community when we’re doing anything, but especially something challenging like, oh, I don’t know, parenting.
Being connected to other caring and responsible adults:
- lets us learn from others’ experiences
- means we don’t have to rely 100% on our own (limited! finite!) inner resources
- provides a sense of belonging (essential for us humans!)
- validates your experiences and reminds you of your own competence
You cannot be the sole care provider — it’s not how we humans are wired. It’s not sustainable nor enjoyable.
We have to care for each other — together.
Resources for Parents
This is all why Oolie not only provides parents resources to guide you on your parenting journey — especially, of course, around sleep.
When we better resource parents, children thrive. (And parents are happier, too!)
Sign up for our list, and stay tuned to this Bedtime Stories blog for:
- Sleep stories from other parents
- Ideas for sustainable family activities
- Books we love for bedtime reading
What’s Your Biggest Parenting Challenge?
We’d love to hear about your experiences raising kids.
Send us a note with your biggest parenting challenges or wins. We love sleep stories, stories of sustainable family wins, and attachment-forward parenting. We might even feature you on our website and social media (only with your permission, of course).
