The young mother shared on her social media how her baby was “raised” with the help of her college friends and touched the internet.
Keali’i and Riho Maruyama got married during their first year of college and were surprised by a pregnancy in their final year.
The young couple divided their time between studies, work, and rugby practice, and the news that they were going to be parents was a real shock, but the arrival of little Hinami, in the spring of 2023, showed that they were not alone in this new stage of their lives.
Keali’i and Riho’s friends came together to help with the baby and organized themselves to take care of little Hinami whenever the parents needed some time to handle all their tasks.
To Business Insider, Riho explained how the support of friends was crucial when their daughter was born: “Right after her birth, our chat group turned into a daycare forum to discuss who could take care of Hinami, with different people volunteering to care for her when my husband and I couldn’t,” she said.
But having a baby around didn’t just change the couple’s lives; the arrival of the baby had a profound impact on the group of friends, as Riho often shows on her TikTok.
“Raising her near people who don’t have children allowed me to be a first-time mom without fear of judgment. We are all learning what it means to care for a baby together,” Riho explained.
“I wouldn’t have been able to raise Hinami without this village of friends around us. It was a radical change. Thanks to them, life didn’t have to stop. I could be a mother, athlete, student, and employee, even with a newborn.”
In a post on Instagram, Riho shared Hinami’s recent birthday, who turned 2 years old, and thanked friends for being part of their daughter’s life.
“We were two college students who had no idea what we were doing — just trying to figure out life while developing the raising of a baby. BUT, looking at the last 2 years… she was able to experience a special childhood — full of adventures, sports games, rugby practices, study halls, concerts, and gymnastics sessions,” she wrote in her post.
“But the real gift? All her uncles and aunts who loved her as if she were their own. We are extremely grateful to you!!” she added.
In the images, Hinami is shown sitting in her high chair, dressed as a princess and surrounded by much love; “Happy birthday to our baby, raised by a group of college students and loved by a whole village.”
This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
