Becoming a parent happens in an instant – that mind-blowing moment of birth – but growing into the role is something that happens, little by little, one milestone at a time. One of these moments for me was when I realized that being a parent means losing a little bit of one’s anonymity among the masses. Having children means living on display, in the grocery store, at a restaurant, walking down the street.
As a devout people-watcher, I found this move to center stage from fly on the wall a little unnerving at first. But after three years, I’ve come to appreciate its rich benefits. There is a fraternity or sorority among parents – all parents – that I didn’t realize existed before becoming one. Instantly, you have something to relate about – deeply, intimately. There’s also the networking that goes on among parents. As a reporter, I’m used to pumping sources for information. But this is nothing compared to the cross-examination I’ve submitted other mothers to – be it about starting solid foods, potty training, choosing a preschool or even just deciding what brand of sunscreen to use.
Having children changes the way we think about many things in our lives. My husband and I moved here a couple of years ago because we wanted our son to grow up in a place where nature was a part of his everyday existence — not just a place he visited on vacation. We wanted the values and lifestyle that a small town offers. Since we’ve been here, I’ve met countless other parents who came or remain for the same reasons. Even if it means passing up job opportunities or living more meagerly then they might elsewhere. I think this makes Durango parents an exceptional and extraordinary breed and is why I’m so excited for us to have a unique place in cyberspace to fraternize, collude, network and vent. On this blog, you can expect to find local events, resources for families, discussions of kid-related news, recipes, how-tos and much more. Together, we’ll explore just what it means to be a parent in Durango.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, April 8th, 2009 at 10:57 pm. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.