“That’s why God gave us extended families. It’s only been the last generation or so that thought it is a good thing to scatter across globe in pursuit of more stuff. Most of the important things aren’t things.”
Too true; without the in-laws it would have been very difficult to raise our children. The wife works part-time (so the kids can get to school and back), but that wouldn’t have been possible when they were younger. I’d rather be poor than have a stranger watch our children; I’m already poor enough with the wife work part-time (and I wouldn’t have it any other way).
my in laws and my parents both were worthless when it came to being any sort of a support network, my fil left my husband unattended as a baby and he was found by my mil sitting in the middle of the street in front of their house, my own parents were too involved in their own pursuits to act the way normal grandparents do and besides doting on anyone other than themselves is not in their lexicon, so I rarely did anything. Also, when I did go somewhere, I could tell by my kids’ emotional state when I returned if the baby sitter was worth hiring back.
It is difficult getting decent child care.