I'm from France, and my husband is from New Mexico. We are raising our child in Florida with no family nearby.
A parent shares the challenges of raising a child in Florida without nearby family support. The author emphasizes the necessity of building a 'chosen village' of friends to manage the demands of modern parenting.
Why it matters
It reflects the common experience of expatriate and mobile families navigating modern life without traditional support networks.
The author is from France, and her husband is from New Mexico. Their daughter was born in Florida. Courtesy of Virginie Romary I grew up in the east of France, and my husband is from New Mexico. We met in Florida, where we decided to settle, because my husband works in the marine industry. Raising a child without family nearby has added extra challenges to our parenting. Our daughter, now 9, was born in Fort Lauderdale and is growing up here. My family lives a 10-hour flight away in France, while my husband's family is a six-hour flight away, in New Mexico. This means there is no free babysitting or backup childcare, no matter the situation. We're on our own if we want a date night, just the same as if one of us falls ill.
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