Worth it Wednesday

This is going to be a little different now that it’s coming up on summertime and the kids are out of school. For the past few weeks, we’ve increasingly seen more and more children outside playing and having fun together. 

Review Topic: Being neighborly…seems so minor, but it’s so important

Initial Thoughts: I’ve always wanted to live in a neighborhood with sidewalks. I didn’t have that when I grew up (I grew up on a dirt road), but I did enjoy playing with friends and my cousins that stayed nearby. Since we relocated, I knew I wanted to be in an area that had children and people were kind. Of course you can’t really pick your neighbors, but I always hoped that by being the type of neighbor I’ve always wanted I would find the folks that were like minded.

How’s it Going: We couldn’t be more blessed with the people we get to call neighbors. I’m not saying we are besties with anyone, but we definitely have formed enough of a relationship with them that each of us feels comfortable correcting the kids as necessary (this is sad that it’s so uncommon and not something you can do anymore) as well as look out for one another. We will stand outside and catch up while the kids play or one parent will allow their children to play with others after acknowledging that there is an adult present. Our house has become the “neighborhood hangout” at times and it is pretty cool. I have to stress to the kids that they have to be more mindful of boundaries with their friends because we can’t supply the entire neighborhood (really just our street…but when they get together it is a total of 8-9 kids) with snacks on a consistent basis. But, we definitely want the kids to feel welcome so we don’t minding sharing Capri Suns and other snacks with our friends sometimes. Also, we have phone numbers of several of the people on our street so we stay connected with what’s going on. Recently, the kids were outside playing and a neighbor sent a message to us letting us know that our children were participating in ding, dong, ditch. Thankfully we have relationships that help these types of situations not grow into something more serious, but we are all aware that this could have gone another way. We feel much safer with our children having relationships with other children in close proximity, but also adults that genuinely care about them and their well being. They also know that they have the same with us. When I imagined living in a neighborhood, most of what I experience is exactly what I thought it would be like. 

Is it Worth it: Yes!!! Even if you just have one other person that you can trust and depend on, it makes life much easier. We have an “auntie” that we check on from time to time and the kids absolutely love her. We also have several people that have willingly shared that they would watch the girls for us while we go on a date. This makes being neighborly and establishing relationships all worth it. Anytime packages are delivered, I’m making sure the neighbors that I have numbers for are aware of their presence (for some reason ringing the doorbell is rare now). I get this doesn’t happen everywhere, but sometimes it just starts with being willing to have a conversation because you never know where it can lead.

Do you have or are you a great neighbor?