I have received information and materials from Johnson & Johnson Consumer Inc., the makers of TYLENOL®. The opinions stated are my own.
We have all heard the phrase “it takes a village to raise a child.” The phrase really became well known back in 1996 when then first lady, Hillary Clinton, published a book titled It Takes a Village: And Other Lessons Children Teach Us. But what does that phrase really mean and does it apply to you and me? It perfectly describes my family and I’ll tell you why.
TYLENOL®, a brand with a rich heritage in serving families, is celebrating all the ways that people family today through the #HowWeFamily campaign. I’m excited to share my family’s story with you.
Once upon a time, I was a young bride, married to my high school sweetheart. We had a son. A beautiful baby boy who was perfect in every way. Life was good.
Until it wasn’t.
Like many young married couples, our relationship didn’t last. I found myself divorced and left to care for my son on my own since his father was living in a different state.
Except, I really wasn’t alone.
I was blessed with an amazing support system of family and friends who supported me with their time, emotional support and sometimes financial support. My mom who had once had her own struggles, being divorced with four children, was my rock and inspiration.
Aunts, uncles, grandmas and grandpas are the best babysitters. When I finally landed a great job working for the phone company, I had to start out working a late shift that didn’t end until 9 in the evening. I don’t know what I would have done without my Dad who picked my son up from the YMCA each afternoon. My son had a special bond with his grandpa. I will forever be thankful to dad stepping in and being the male role model my son needed.
I knew I was going to start crying when I sat down to write this.
Fast forward about 20 years…
My son is a wonderful, successful young man thanks to the village that helped raise him. We are now living in rural Georgia, along with my Mom, to help my brother and sister-in-law out with their kids. They both work long hours and often have to travel out-of-town.
I am so thankful for the close relationship I have with my nieces and nephew. It feels great being able to give back.
I love these girls so much…
In some cultures, multigenerational families are the norm. It’s a trend I am noticing more and more here in the U.S. I love having my Mom under the same roof. I am so lucky to be part of an amazing village. An amazing family. This is #HowWeFamily.
Families come in all shapes and sizes. Each with their own struggles and triumphs and a unique story to tell. I hope you’ll join me and take part in the TYLENOL® #HowWeFamily campaign.
Send out a tweet on Twitter, post to Facebook or Instagram and share a photo or video of what represents your family love and pride using the #HowWeFamily hashtag. I can’t wait to hear your story!
Our kids do everything with us. The only babysitter my kids have had are my parents who live an hour away. They have only watched our kids a few times but I need to take advantage of it more so my husband and I can have date nights.
My son’s and I live with my parents and the boys and their papa have a tight bond.
This is great! I love how your family is helping each other out and so close!
I always think it’s great to have support from family when raising a child. The more, the merrier.
Such a neat thing to have such loving people in your life, Thank you for sharing your story.
It’s actually sad actually that this is so rare in the US. Children greatly benefit from being brought up in multi-generational households. Great initiative from Tylenol, thanks for sharing about it, I wasn’t aware of it!
Thanks for sharing your story. There are many women out there struggling to survive alone with their kids. I hope they find the support they need when they need it the most. In Asian countries, there are about 3-4 generations living under the same roof, supporting each other so that the whole family will survive.
Family is everything. I’m so glad your story turned out well.
My mom is with us on a daily basis to help care for our boys. I grew up surrounded by cousins, aunts, my nana, etc. I love having that for my boys as well.
I totally agree with you, having that support from family and friends helps a lot. It also shows kids that they are loved and supported as well.