Have you ever joined a local moms group?
My coworker posted over the summer that her MOPS group had openings, and I had to Google what that was (spoiler: it’s an international moms group with local chapters).
A few weeks later, my church was promoting sign-ups for a moms group—and so I signed up. Why not? I’ve found that I make friends easiest when I’m involved in a club, cause or crusade, so this seemed like an appropriate way to make mom friends.
We had our first Zoom meeting on a Tuesday night and it blew away my nonexistent expectations. I felt so seen, so relatable and so supported by the dozen other women on the call I had never met—it was empowering.
Here’s the three things that pleasantly surprised me the most about the moms group:
- You get a “Mentor Mom”
Women with adult children volunteered to be our cheerleaders, support system and a listening ear. Having a local lifeline like this (that isn’t family) was definitely not something I was expecting but wow, what a gift! Just on the first call, it was comforting to have these women chiming in with encouragement reminding us that we’re the best moms for our children.
- It made me feel less alone in my struggles
Our first meeting, and we already were breaking down walls and talking about the nitty, gritty parts of parenthood. A major theme of the conversation was how difficult it is for most of us to ask for help. It was so refreshing to have a safe place to talk about these struggles. I felt heard without judgement – and sometimes, sharing these types of struggles with people who aren’t connected to your family circle and who know all the players, is refreshing.
- It was me time
Sometimes all things parenthood feel laser focused on the children and moms are the afterthought. This group was different—we were focused on the mental, spiritual and emotional well-being of all the moms. We were the focus, which is something that isn’t typical. It was nice to have this as a form of self-care.
When I signed up for MOPS, I did question if I had the time to invest in something like this, but it is semester-based which felt like less of a forever commitment. It’s just an hour every other Tuesday until the middle of November, giving me breathing room for the holidays. Having an end date made it most certainly less daunting as a commitment.
Have you ever been part of a local moms group? How did you find the group? I’d love to hear how other mom groups have positively impacted you as a mom.
