If you don’t have a community, put plans in place and start creating one?

Don’t sugarcoat it – it’s not always easy and does take conscious planning. But it is possible, especially when you know there are so many other parents out there looking for community support too!

The most obvious place to start is with existing family and friends. Strangely, this can sometimes feel daunting because it can be harder to admit our struggles and perceived imperfections to those we love. But asking grandparents, aunts and uncles, and cousins for help can make them feel included and also provide your children with more access to family relationships and their history. Even if families don’t live nearby, set up regular family Zoom calls so everyone feels more connected. Talking over video can sometimes be hard, for both adults and kids. But if you organize simple trivia contests, joke sharing, and online games, then it becomes more social and opens the door for deeper conversations down the line.