Hallelujah For Playgroups!

“I still get wildly enthusiastic about little things… I play with leaves. I skip down the street and run against the wind.”

 

I worked part time after my daughter was born. My life consisted of working, being a mom and a housewife. When I wasn’t at work I was busy running errands for my family, going to Dr appts or spending quality time with my girl. We didn’t make many new friends.

After my son was born I became a full-time stay at home mom and I pretty much barricaded myself in our house. I was a breastfeeding mama and I had a really hard time with latching and what not, so I mostly pumped. I also had a rambunctious 17 month old daughter that I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to control while I sat and breastfed/pumped.

We went out for walks, played at local playgrounds and play places. But we were missing something big… friends. It’s hard being a SAHM and not having an outlet. Sure, I could talk to my husband and he could sense my loneliness and frustrations of being a mom 24/7, but it’s just not the same. Most importantly, my kids needed playmates. They needed to learn how to socialize and how to interact with other kids. The search for the right playgroup began.

I had no idea how to find a playgroup. I googled all different things and wasn’t finding anything that was right for us. Finally, after months had passed and I was sure there was nothing out there for me, I did one last search. Hallelujah!!! I came across this. There, I discovered all sorts of groups. Playgroups for kids, dog playgroups, Buddhist groups, networking groups, etc. There’s something for everyone. Plus, for a small fee, you can create your own group if you want to. I ended up coming across a group that was right in my town. 

 It’s been almost FOUR years that I have been a SAHM. I honestly don’t know how I would have made it this far without being part of a playgroup. When you’re a mom you question all sorts of things, “Did I discipline my child correctly, do other kids act like this, do other mom’s struggle with their child being picky with food?” After talking with many moms and finding out we all go through a lot of the same things, I knew for sure I wasn’t crazy. haha! You can learn so much from other mom’s parenting styles, you get awesome advice and tips from more experienced moms, all the while keeping your sanity by having adult conversations. I have learned so much from these great ladies! All the while your kids make friends and are learning themselves.

If you are a stay at home mom, part time or full time, I highly recommend finding a playgroup in your area. It sounds silly, but mine saved my sanity.

(The playgroup going on a hayride up to a pumpkin patch. October 2013)