PARENTING
Nurturing Connections
Building Vibrant Communities for Today’s Parents
Nostalgic Foundations: My Childhood in a Vibrant Community
Friends and family surrounded me during my childhood in a thriving, friendly neighborhood. It was a gated community where parents organized themselves with regular meetings. As children romped about and gorged on snacks, the adults discussed ways to improve our environment. Our relationships tightened as the years rolled by, providing an abundance of support on various personal levels.
We were fortunate to have a large, sprawling garden, a testament to my mother’s love of plants. On weekends, I woke up to neighborhood kids climbing our fruit trees like monkeys, joyfully munching on their harvest under the shade before joining a group of rowdy rugby players. After breakfast, I’d slip into my shorts and tees to join them.
My mother’s daily baking and our charming Great Dane, Argus, became magnets for visitors. Argus entertained the less athletic ones, chasing balls and galloping alongside them while cakes, pies, fruits, and iced juices awaited us on the veranda. My sweaty friends and I guzzled them with gusto.
My mother had five sisters, and boy, did they love to talk. After school, we made…
