Editing Olitskur (section)

=== Parenting ===
Olitskens believe very strongly in the tenet that it takes a village to raise a child. While parents might be the primary caretakers, there’s no sense of a nuclear family, and very much the expectation that wherever your child goes, there will be someone there to ensure nothing bad happens. Children are typically close with neighbors and very familiar with their big extended families. For the most prominent of these caretakers, their word can hold almost as much sway as the parents, and parents can be overruled if enough of their community disagrees with a choice they’re making. (This does tend to mean that different neighborhoods have different practices, when it comes to the specifics of how best to raise kids.)

Ianthina also highly value instilling a sense of independence and self-determination from a young age. For example, children are generally allowed to explore the nearby area on their own, without parental supervision. If they have friends with them, they have a lot of freedom where they can go. Or, another example: set bedtimes aren’t common; children are expected and allowed to sleep whenever they are tired. 

Children also take on responsibilities within the house at a young age, and often help their parent with whatever their chosen work is. Learning responsibility starts young. A child’s first errand—commonly to deliver an item to a neighbor or pick up an item from elsewhere—is a celebrated rite of passage that typically occurs before a child turns 5 years old. 

This culture, of course, isn’t foolproof: not all adults want to or know how to deal with children--particularly if they're rebellious, combative, or have a special need--and some parents overrely on their communities. There are always those who fall through the cracks.