I signed DS up for baby group. When the admin person found out I had other kids she said "This group is only for new mothers". I responded "Can't it be for mothers of new babies?" She questioned me about what I thought I might get from the group...what I didn't tell her was the thing I wanted most...I wanted to pick up a mom.
Motherhood can be really isolating. (we all know this right?) One needs a social network of peeps in the same parenting position. I totally had an agenda going into that baby group...to pick up a mom...get her number...and grow a serious relationship based on playdates, stroller fitness and mom & tot swimming lesson registration lines.
Baby group is the new eHarmony.
I want to find a match. Companionship. A happily ever after.
And it's not seedy to pick up a mom. 'Cause they are at *play group*, *play ground*, *drop in* (*insert kid place here*) for the same reason - socialization.
Years ago (on another mat. leave) I met a delicious daddy who took paternity leave. He was dying to pick up a mom (not for that reason). Stay-at-home dads are even more isolated than stay-at-home moms. (Gender can be a ball and chain)
The delish dad and I picked each other up at a baby group...and I'm proud to say we had a great, steady, completely platonic, relationship based on parenting and play dates. We completed each other during the long, work-day, hours when the sun was high and patience was sometimes low.
Modern mom pick up lines go something like:
"My friend has that same diaper bag...do you like it?"
"Do you have an extra diaper?"
"Hey I found a free drop-in...wanna come with?"
Finding of parents, with kids the same age, puts you in-the-know for age-appropriate kid gear, the sign up dates for lessons and which malls have the best changing stations. Plus, it gives your kids' a nudge in the friendship department.
Building a social network is so important for stay-at-home-whoever and babies too. Thus, I'm trolling baby group and speed dating at the park. I'll even pick up on twitter - @ParentClub. This isn't seedy...it's simple socialization.
So I'm not a new mother. I'm a mother of a new baby - who knows the benefit of having a secret agenda at baby group.
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Sat. Mar 26 at 8:30pm is Earth Hour - here are some ways to turn your kids on to Earth Hour while you turn off the lights for the planet.
TIP: The 8:30pm Earth Hour falls past my kids' bedtime...so we will be doing our Earth Hour at 6:30...I'm sure the Earth will forgive us.
I asked twitter what they will be doing for Earth hour...many of you will be playing board games, some will be gardening, another tweep will be having chocolate fondue, someone else will be star gazing, someone suggested a Fancy Nancy book just out for Earth Day.
There are other great kid things to do in the dark like...cards by candlelight, playing guitar (or other musical instrument), origami, singing, playing blocks (and crashing it down), building a blanket fort, having a living room picnic and just plain ol' talking with the family ("Tell me three things you did today")
And if you are thinking perhaps making it a Earth-minded weekend why not relax with some Earth-friendly movies.
Wall-E (that little robot saves the plant, the world and puffy people on puffy chairs)
Ferngully (save those rainforests!)
Happy Feet (that penguin with the pop can thingy around it's neck? so sad!)
Finding Nemo (taking a clown fish from the coral reef is an adventure)
And for the older crowd...March of the Penguins, Erin Brockovich, An Inconvienent Truth.
Turn on your family...when you turn off the lights. (no honey...this doesn't mean what you think it does.)
Blogging makes me a better mother because...it opened up a whole new world of friends which make me less isolated. My new friends have advised and supported me through the baby blues, sleep depravation, breast feeding, field trips and school breaks. They have been my social network and my safety net.
Blogging makes me a better mother because...it is mine. Something I do as an independent, grown-up, individual. It has nothing to do with the kids, husband, PTA or dog (if we had a dog). It is all mine. And in a mother's world where we do so much for others it is a treasure to have something all to my onesome.
Blogging makes me a better mother because...it has taught me to stop. pause. think. before I push send.
Blogging makes me a better mother because...it has challenged me to try new things.
Blogging makes me a better mother because...it teaches me to learn. Today I learnt that an & sign, a # sign and 10003; all put together make a html checkmark entity on my blog. It may be insignificant to a non-blogger but to me it is conquering the unknown. And everyone should feel like they can conquer something once in a while. It's empowering.
Blogging makes me a better mother because...it makes me happy. It is like my electronic child that I nourish. My blog is growing everyday. And I am so proud of it.
Blogging makes me a better mother because...I can take my inspiration, my social network, my career, my independence, my accomplishment, my thinking, my empathy, my learning, my communication skills and my pride and put them all into my family. Because I have something for me...I can give more to you. (Does that make sense?)
Blogging encourages me, it provokes me, it heals me.
I am a better mother because I blog.
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