Here’s the thing. In a world where parenting is terrifying, overwhelming and all-consuming, we need the village more than ever. If I’m busy making sure my one-year-old doesn’t break his face while he’s toddling across a bouncy bridge and my three-year old throws a rock at another kid’s head on the other side of the playground, I sure hope that other parent will step in and tell my kid that they’ve done something wrong and it’s not okay. I have friends who have put my kid in a time-out for bad behavior, and I say good on them. But I also know that they’ll pick up my kid should they fall, that they’ll encourage them to keep trying if they’re struggling to do something and that they will be a safe place for my child to turn if they ever need help.