Why Your Support Network Is So Important

There's a saying that goes "It takes a village to raise a child."

At HeyKiddo, we know that's true!

Often, this idea is about the importance of having a network of supportive adults to help kids grow, but sometimes as parents and educators we forget that we need support too.

Teachers, grandparents, friends, and others can be resources in lots of different ways. Here are some things you can call on your support network for that you might have been taking for granted:

When You Need Time and Space

Most of the time, we're used to relying on family and friends for babysitting or play dates. Even trusted adults at school and daycare can be considered part of your parenting "village."

Sure, these people are in our children's lives, but knowing that are kids are safe and taken care of reduces a lot of stress on parents who work or are away from home a lot.

You can't be physically present for your child 24/7, and it's okay to call on another adult to take that pressure off.

When You Need a Sounding Board

Venting can be an effective stress reliever, and you may have friends to share parenting woes with. You can also rely on your people to bring a different perspective and actually walk you through difficult conversations.

Do you need to break bad news to your child, enforce a boundary, or have a difficult conversation you're not sure how to navigate?

Try role playing with a friend to practice what you'll say and get some advice on what to do if things don't go according to plan.

When You Need a Distraction

Let's face it--raising kids isn't always a picnic. If you've ever been tired and cranky at the end of a long day, you know how a distraction from reality is sometimes what you need.

As long as you have good boundaries around coping mechanisms, it's perfectly fine to ask for help by seeing who's available to watch a Netflix comedy special and talk about anything else but raising kids.

When You Need Professional Help

Friends and family are all important to your support network, but don't forget to include people in your life that help you in a more formal way.

Therapists and doctors can be part of your support network, and so can people you work with to support your health in other ways like a favorite barista, a massage therapist, a personal trainer, or the person at the grocery store who always knows what day the produce is its freshest.

Whoever you have in your life that supports you so that you can show up for your family in a way that makes you feel good is, by extension, an important part of your child's life too.