The People in Your Neighborhood

"Titi's House" is such a fixture in my girls' world that there are days when Clio actually requests a "visit" to the daycare, even when the other alternative is to stay home with me. Both girls started there at 2 1/2 months (3 months maternity leave minus babies coming two weeks late), and the children who attend with them, and the grown ups who watch after them, are truly like their family. We've seen the place grow with our neighborhood: when Clio started there were 4 Hispanic kids, and the lower-income families got a discount; now they're expanding across the street to accommodate the dozen kids they already have from diverse backgrounds, and the additional demand they are seeing as our area becomes an affordable option for young families, while still convenient to Manhattan. Gone are the days when Clio was "the baby who saved the day care," when hers was the face of gentrification on the photo wall, when Spanish was the primary language spoken by the majority. In a way, we're sad to lose some of the Spanish influence as the balance tips. But we're thrilled to have more and more like-minded parents, whose paths we cross out in the world as we make our rounds through parental life in the way-south Slope.

Recently, we ran into half of the older kids at the playground, and Clio could not have been more thrilled to take the fun outdoors, and out of the (very tiny) context of day care. She colored with Deston, played soccer with Isabella, and borrowed Elsie's sunglasses for the slid. Of course we are familiar with all these children, but it's wonderful to see the shape and dynamics of their friendships first hand. I wonder how much Clio will remember of these first friends, and how much they are shaping the person she is becoming.




I was glad to capture some of these kids on camera at the playground that day (despite Clio's dramatic protests when I took the group shot, above); I still clearly remember my best school friend from this age, like it was yesterday, but I'm still glad to have this picture. There's Laura, back row, second from the right.