Thank you so much for this! As someone without children, it's really, really helpful to have a window into your world. I realise how insensitive I have been, simply because I had no idea. I look forward to being much more inclusive and welcoming!
I think fathers go through a simalar process, although they usually stay at work, which allows them to keep some time with adults.
I must say that being in a religious community/city in Israel makes this much better. Everyone has kids. No weddings or parties without kids. (not so many parties Tbh) However, homeschooling creates a rift between us and schooling families.
i am a childless person and i've felt moved to spend time with new mothers in my extended family - and their kids '
part of this feels like it's bc many of my ancestors lived in avuncular families (basically children were taken care of by their matrilineal uncles moreso than their fathers) '
but yeh, in general what i'm taking away from it is the extent to which our societies have been structured around the labor of childless people and giving those people reasons to continue laboring ' and the extent to which they've retracted from being structured around parents and children and old people '
Thank you so much for this! As someone without children, it's really, really helpful to have a window into your world. I realise how insensitive I have been, simply because I had no idea. I look forward to being much more inclusive and welcoming!
I think fathers go through a simalar process, although they usually stay at work, which allows them to keep some time with adults.
I must say that being in a religious community/city in Israel makes this much better. Everyone has kids. No weddings or parties without kids. (not so many parties Tbh) However, homeschooling creates a rift between us and schooling families.
mmm thanks for publishing and writing this '
i am a childless person and i've felt moved to spend time with new mothers in my extended family - and their kids '
part of this feels like it's bc many of my ancestors lived in avuncular families (basically children were taken care of by their matrilineal uncles moreso than their fathers) '
but yeh, in general what i'm taking away from it is the extent to which our societies have been structured around the labor of childless people and giving those people reasons to continue laboring ' and the extent to which they've retracted from being structured around parents and children and old people '