I biggest memory as a child is my mother constantly being in bed with a headache. Although some of her laid up times can be blamed on overexertion, the majority of her disposition was due to stress. We had very few play dates, especially after we moved to my hometown. My mother lost herself in being the stay at home mom.
I married straight out my parents house, and gave birth to my first child a little over a year and half later. I always knew I wanted to stay at home, but I didn't know how isolating it is. Because I married a military man, I followed him across the country. I knew no one. I am determined to create a different memory for my children then I have of my mother.
In the April 2006 issue of Woman's Day Magazine introduced me to the concept of a playgroup, and I have never looked back. Playgroups and Mom's groups have saved my sanity, and given my children and I a reason to get out of the house.
I started organizing playgroups in May 2006 and since then have started numerous playgroups, shared support with hundreds of organizers across the country, and given birth to two more children. I have moved twice, and can confidently say that without playgroups, there is no way I could survive staying at home. I'm more than just surviving. I am thriving.
I whole-heartily believe that there can never be too many playgroups. I have a soft spot for those who run playgroups even if I've butt heads with them in the past.
I am begging anyone with the power to do so to other stay at home parents to thrive in his or her community. I do not think we are meant to parent alone. Somehow, our fenced in properties and advances in industry and techonology allows us to isolate ourselves. This is not the way it should be.
My hope is that I can bring my experience, connections, and ideas to hundreds of other playgroup leaders in hopes of creating more successful playgroups, and thus eliminating the isolation that comes with parenting. MOPs coined a catch phrase 'No Mom Alone.'-- It is certainly fitting for my mission.
