Dear Mariah, beautiful picture collage and a sense of finding comfort in community radiates through your work. However, I feel like the statement, “”Autonomy is in your DNA here,” my husband comments, born a continent away where this is not so.”, is at best generic and subjective, and at worst deeply misinformed. (assuming that your husband’s origin is India, my apologies if my assumption is wrong).
Hi Swarnali, thanks for sharing your thoughts. This is a conversation that’s come up a lot for my husband and I as we navigate our cultural differences and perspectives. It’s not meant to be a blanket statement about everyone in the U.S. or India, rather an observation of the dynamic we’ve noticed between us that sometimes plays out in wider circles.
I love the sound of your plans for your garden and the close community you have where you live. I feel you with the potty training - it'll be 3rd time around for me and I'm still none the wiser! With my daughter, it was a disaster, I did it too soon so had to stop and start again a few months after. My middle son, I waited til he was 3 and it was during the pandemic so I can't remember much! Now with my youngest, he'll be 3 in May so I'm gonna wait till then. It isn't fun is it and I'm all for the bribes tbh, whatever works!! X
I think that's what makes parenting one of the hardest "jobs." Every age and every kid is different so the learning never stops! Thanks for sharing your stories with us and for being a presence here. 💗
It is SO cool to hear that my work has made it into some fun conversations with friends! Sending you solidarity for the potty training and preschool transitions ❤️
Thank you! I'm so glad to connect with another caregiver in the trenches also trying to navigate the world and make a meaningful impact in our communities. 💗
A lovely post, but as a northerner I'd like to mention that we've got the same neighborly vibe going on up here. And while we have a lot of critters that do hibernate through the winter, the bunnies and squirrels don't.
What part of the North do you live in? I'm from the Midwest originally and thought we were pretty friendly but I've been surprised by how much more we've experienced it down in the South. There's also a slower pace which is sometimes annoying but I feel like lends itself to more conversations and connection.
I’m in Superior, Wisconsin and we have bunnies & squirrels living in our back yard and they are out and about even when it is below zero.
I understand what you mean about the pace thing, I grew up here in the midwest but then lived and worked in New York and then the Pacific Northwest before retiring and miving back here.
New York was very interesting, it had what I call a “surly efficiency” which was actually really only being polite because we all were all packed in tight both in terms of space and time. But I found New York the easiest place to make friends, as soon as someone found out you were new to the scene it would be “here, pal, let me tell you the score.”
The Seattle area was the place where folks seemed most in their little bubbles & it took the longest to make friends.
Back in the midwest, there is a strong “I don’t want to bother you” vibe that I think keeps folks from connecting.
Yes! I think that's it. We don't want to intrude...whereas in the South, I get the impression very much that people want to intrude (in a mostly positive way!) 😅
Dear Mariah, beautiful picture collage and a sense of finding comfort in community radiates through your work. However, I feel like the statement, “”Autonomy is in your DNA here,” my husband comments, born a continent away where this is not so.”, is at best generic and subjective, and at worst deeply misinformed. (assuming that your husband’s origin is India, my apologies if my assumption is wrong).
Hi Swarnali, thanks for sharing your thoughts. This is a conversation that’s come up a lot for my husband and I as we navigate our cultural differences and perspectives. It’s not meant to be a blanket statement about everyone in the U.S. or India, rather an observation of the dynamic we’ve noticed between us that sometimes plays out in wider circles.
I understand and acknowledge your perspective. Thank you for responding. Stay well. 💜
I appreciate your perspective as well. Thanks for reading and engaging! 💗
I love the sound of your plans for your garden and the close community you have where you live. I feel you with the potty training - it'll be 3rd time around for me and I'm still none the wiser! With my daughter, it was a disaster, I did it too soon so had to stop and start again a few months after. My middle son, I waited til he was 3 and it was during the pandemic so I can't remember much! Now with my youngest, he'll be 3 in May so I'm gonna wait till then. It isn't fun is it and I'm all for the bribes tbh, whatever works!! X
I think that's what makes parenting one of the hardest "jobs." Every age and every kid is different so the learning never stops! Thanks for sharing your stories with us and for being a presence here. 💗
It is SO cool to hear that my work has made it into some fun conversations with friends! Sending you solidarity for the potty training and preschool transitions ❤️
Thank you! I'm so glad to connect with another caregiver in the trenches also trying to navigate the world and make a meaningful impact in our communities. 💗
The feeling is very mutual!
A lovely post, but as a northerner I'd like to mention that we've got the same neighborly vibe going on up here. And while we have a lot of critters that do hibernate through the winter, the bunnies and squirrels don't.
Thanks for fact-checking this! 😅
What part of the North do you live in? I'm from the Midwest originally and thought we were pretty friendly but I've been surprised by how much more we've experienced it down in the South. There's also a slower pace which is sometimes annoying but I feel like lends itself to more conversations and connection.
I’m in Superior, Wisconsin and we have bunnies & squirrels living in our back yard and they are out and about even when it is below zero.
I understand what you mean about the pace thing, I grew up here in the midwest but then lived and worked in New York and then the Pacific Northwest before retiring and miving back here.
New York was very interesting, it had what I call a “surly efficiency” which was actually really only being polite because we all were all packed in tight both in terms of space and time. But I found New York the easiest place to make friends, as soon as someone found out you were new to the scene it would be “here, pal, let me tell you the score.”
The Seattle area was the place where folks seemed most in their little bubbles & it took the longest to make friends.
Back in the midwest, there is a strong “I don’t want to bother you” vibe that I think keeps folks from connecting.
Yes! I think that's it. We don't want to intrude...whereas in the South, I get the impression very much that people want to intrude (in a mostly positive way!) 😅