When your kids talk back to you or scream whenever you put them to bed, new parents are often left wondering how other parents deal with the same issues. That’s when a parenting group comes in.
Having other moms with whom you can share experiences and discuss familial issues is invaluable in the process of raising and maintaining healthy relationships with your kids. Though your situations may differ, the support of other moms can help you learn and grow as a person and as a mother.
In an effort to create and maintain this mom to mom contact, several services have become available. For instance, Parent to Parent is an online service that offers free parenting classes with the specific intent to connect parents with other parents. The company’s mission statement says that parents interacting with other parents aids in “establishing a natural support network” and opens the doors for “learning alternative skills to effectively managing children’s behavior.”
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Creating that support network makes parents aware of the plethora of information that’s available to moms and dad so they can use better techniques when difficult parenting situations arise.
A study conducted on mothers in the nurse-facilitated support group, the “Early Bird Program,” found that mothers have increased confidence and feelings of empowerment when they participate in small groups with other women. Though the number of moms in the study was small, they were able to share and receive support from one another, which led to greater contentment in their role as mothers.
With the opportunity to have an honest, open environment to share with other moms, future challenges may not seem as daunting. In an article from Parents Magazine, Holly Robinson discusses how much her “mom friend” supported her and how family struggles weren’t just hers to deal with alone.
Making that connection with other moms is much easier if there’s a common place to meet, like in a parenting class or just at a local coffee shop. Robinson talked about regularly going on dog hikes while sharing stories with fellow moms and friends. They can also bring fresh perspectives to an issue and can, as Robinson says, “remind you that you once biked across Ireland and convince you that you won’t always be a walking zombie covered in banana pulp.”
Robinson emphasized meeting with mom friends as “an emotional necessity” despite it taking time.
It seems that having a support group of other moms provides more comfort than you might think. Other moms can enlighten you on the many parenting resources and can guide and support you when you’re in need. It takes a village to raise a child – your parenting group can be your village.
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