Today we’re talking about how to combat the feelings of isolation during motherhood.
If you’re scrolling through this article and feeling alone in this motherhood journey, whether it be the transition from working full time to staying home, to physically recovering from child birth, know you aren’t alone, and East Valley Moms exists to help connect moms to a more connected motherhood experience. You’re in the right place!
I’m a boy mom to three boys, and my husband jokes that I could make friends with a brick wall. Once at Target drive-up the sweet employee told me I was the nicest customer she’d had that day, to which I enthusiastically responded: “You might be my only adult interaction today, I had to make it count!”
Finding community in motherhood, as well as feeling seen and heard can literally make motherhood feel like a blessing if you have it, or a curse some days that you feel alone in this messy journey of raising tiny humans.
Here are my top 5 tips to feel connected when you’re home alone on a day/week/month/year when the clock seems to be ticking backwards.
XO,
Andrea
1- Join a moms group or class
I promise, most other moms have the same feelings you have and are just looking forward to connecting with another. If you’re unsure where to meet other moms in the similar phase of parenthood as you, here’s a few of our favorites:
A MomCo local chapter (across the East Valley): The MomCo is a fifty-year-old organization supporting moms through local chapters that meetup a few times a month for mom connection. Many offer childcare to really provide a two hour time block to connect with moms while kids play. To find a chapter near you, visit the MomCo International site. (Four of our team to to the Chandler chapter here)
The Musik Box (Gilbert): One thing I appreciated about music classes here is the beginning of class always included an ice breaker for parents to get to know each other; it also groups parents together who have similarly aged kids, which was helpful in connecting.
Fit4Mom (across the East Valley): Even if you aren’t really looking to get a workout in, Fit4Mom does an incredible job of connecting moms together. They offer play dates, park play after classes and moms night out/moms night in for members. (Get a FREE month at Fit4Mom Queen Creek if you mention East Valley Moms).
2- Audio or video message someone
Hearing someone’s voice, or even seeing their face is such a game changer, send an audio message to a friend or two. I promise it’ll feel like you’re hanging out in person once a few audios start going back and forth.
If you haven’t tried Marco Polo, it’s my favorite.
3- Get outside
Trust me, there’s healing powers of the outdoors. There is a picture from the very early days of having three kids two and under, where one twin is in a swing outside and the other is in the infant bathtub outside while my two-year-old is playing in our backyard.
I had to get creative to just get in the backyard and only had the stamina to haul one swing outside, so I grabbed the lightweight bathtub. We were all getting some vitamin D, and a change of scenery.
Or, I challenge you to try a stroller breakfast for a week or two–our team has sworn by them for their mental health more than physical health. (ICYMI: put your kids in the stroller and serve breakfast on the stroller tray while they’re still in pjs to start the morning). Tips on trying stroller breakfasts are here, or see the breakfast highlights on our Instagram for daily inspo from babies with bottles to baby led weaning breakfasts to picky toddlers.
4- Listen to a podcast or an audiobook
On days I just want an adult conversation or to make sure my brain hasn’t gone full mom brain mush, I love the one headphone in my ear trick, that way I am listening but am still tuned into the world around me.
5- Go for a drive
So many times, I load everyone up, queue up the firetruck playlist to keep everyone quiet and drive to get a coffee or a coke, or drive out to a far away park or nature outing.
I’ve made a list of coffee and soda shops I wanted to try, so instead of loading everyone up to go to the Starbucks around the corner, it felt like more of an adventure.
Especially in the early days with my twins and toddler, these little outings like this used to give me so much confidence!
