{Guest Post}My 19 month old daughter and I wandered down to our local library the other day so she could pick out books that featured Elmo on the cover (her cute new obsession). When we arrived, I noticed a “Baby Story Time” taking place in the kids’ section – mamas and their new little babies all in a circle reading books. I was a little taken off guard because I used to know the schedule for every Baby Story Time at every nearby library when my daughter was younger, but we had now graduated to the “Toddler Story Time”. Nonetheless, there we were, surrounded by a bunch of babies ranging from about 2 months old to 6 months old.
My number one piece of advice for any new mother is always to, “find a Mom Tribe”.
Kristin Helms is a San Diego based stay-at-home-mom to a 19 month old daughter and a son on the way. Pre “mommy life” Kristin worked in marketing and public relations in the hospitality industry. In 2013 she made the hard decision to leave a thriving career and stay home to raise her daughter; a life-altering journey she wouldn’t trade for anything.
What a great message from, Kristin! I don’t know about you, but when I have had a great “mom tribe” to support me, I feel so much happier as a mom. It can be hard to find that, though.
After moving to CA, I have found it tough to get out enough to connect with a group of moms. I have a few friends that are local, but not a solid group to go to for help and support. It makes the challenging days tougher, for sure. I know from conversations we have shared over on Facebook, that many of you are in the same boat. Here are my tips for finding that mom tribe, or being that support for another mom-which can be even better!
TIPS for Finding YOUR Mom Tribe:
1) Attend a weekly event (at least one), regularly. As you attend an event (like library story time) on a regular basis, you will begin to recognize moms and build up the confidence to sit next to a friendly mom and ask her about herself.
Great conversation starters:
-How old is your child?
-Do you come to the {insert event} often? How do you like it? What other local events have you tried? Any recommendations?
-Isn’t it nice to get to sit down for a moment? These kids keep us busy don’t they?
-Our children look like they are similar in age. Have you had to deal with {picky eating, tantrums, potty training, or other parenting challenge} yet? How have you been working through that.
2) Join a moms group at church or on MeetUp. Church events often have on-site childcare. (The only kind of group care I let my children attend because I can pop in anytime.) MeetUp has many options based on location and interest, so you can cater to you! You know the group with have moms with similar interests or who live in the same location.
3) Don’t stress it if you aren’t finding a moms group that suits you. I spent some time stressing this after moving to California, and it took away from my day-to-day joy of caring for my kids.
We each have different numbers of children and different responsibilities at home. Some mom groups may not fit your values or beliefs. You can still be a great mom even without a support group of moms to help you. Don’t give up!
If you want support and to connect with other moms join our Facebook group. It is a place to vent, share and help each other in those moments when you just need someone who understands!
Thank you so much, Kristin, for such a helpful post sharing how special it is to have a great support network of moms! It is a huge blessing for navigating motherhood, for sure.
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<3 A momma tribe is so important! I found mine when someone invited me to a Community Bible Study group that had a specific group for pregnant and nursing mommas. Having that in common with the other women definitely helped break the ice and some of the girls there became my closest friends. We actually just went camping last weekend {families included :)}.
What fun! That is so nice to see that so many moms have that support. It gives the moms who don’t hope that they can still find their tribe! Thanks for sharing Rebekah.