"Alloparents" means "other parents" — family, friends, community folk, even strangers — who lend a hand to a parent. Here are stories you shared about your own encounters with alloparents.

"Allo" is Greek for "other." Alloparents are helpful relatives and neighbors. In a study from Congo, babies had 8 alloparents on average. Perhaps the self-reliant nuclear family is a societal misstep.