Each of us has a desire to belong to a community filled with other people who share our interests, and new moms and moms who have recently relocated are no exception. Here are some reasons why building a network of supportive mom group friends is very important for moms and some tips to help you begin constructing one.
When you need advice, your friends who are not moms may try to help, but they don’t have that hands on, ‘in the field’ experience that is so valuable. Add a mom in your neighborhood or your church who has kids a few years older than yours to your network, and you will have that priceless, first hand advice next door or a just a short distance away. This mom’s advice is likely to be up to date, since she just recently experienced your current stage in the motherhood journey.
It is also very helpful to seek a mom who is your peer in the motherhood journey. She won’t mind having entire conversations on how get a fussy baby back to sleep or how to potty train a toddler. New moms can often find peers they connect with in the new mom support group offered by the hospital where they delivered. Ask your baby’s pediatrician about mom’s groups in your area or go online to search for one. Mothers of Preschoolers (MOPS) at Wynnbrook Baptist and the Parenting in Columbus Playgroup are two examples of local groups for moms. Also, design and print a ‘mommy business card’ to give to moms you meet at the park or library story time.
Finally, be open to including a mom who has a different parenting style from yours in your network. She may just have a creative solution to the parenting problem you are currently experiencing. You may not agree with all of her parenting methods, but having her as a friend might help you ‘think outside the box’.
Resources:
Mothers of Preschoolers at Wynnbrook Baptist – call 706-323-4374
Parenting in Columbus Playgroup: www.meetup.com/parentingincolumbus/
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