Isn't parenting so much easier and more enjoyable when we have companions? My grandmother has been visiting us for a couple of days, and it's so nice to experience motherhood surrounded by grandmotherly warmth. Half the fun of parenting is being able to share the acts and expressions of these cute little people with someone else. It's also great for the kids to get a break from me. Today, M had fun reading and doing crossword puzzles with Nana, J had someone else to sing and chatter to, and A enjoyed a different shoulder to drool on.
Raising kids really does take a village. Mothering and homeschooling would be much more challenging and less gratifying without the help, devotion, and inspiration of my "villagers."