It takes a whole village to raise a child.
— Igbo (Nigeria) Proverb
It takes a whole village to raise a child because a child is an active social being who interacts with people who are not his or her parents. With each interaction, it is imperative that the child receive the same messages about what is right and wrong, what is valued and what is to be rejected, and what is safe. It is the shared values of the village, the shared commitment to each child as a loved individual and future citizen of the village, and the shared sense of collective responsibility that underscore the truth of why it takes a whole village to raise a child.
If the village does not support the proper raising of a child, then a parent has a difficult road indeed, and the child is at risk. It also takes a whole village to raise a child because a village is comprised of a diverse array of people of all ages and experiences, each of whom has something to teach a child. Similarly, “it takes a village” to achieve any large civic goal. It takes a shared vision, a set of shared values, and a shared sense of collective responsibility for the common good.