Making Mom Connections Guide to Local Support Groups
By Hohna Hartley
“I felt like an island,” said Erin Spielberger. “Coming out of the workplace and having no experience being a mom - having no experience staying home. I started to feel really isolated and not very important, and I didn't like that.”
Spielberger is a stay-at-home mom of two, with one more on the way. When her oldest child was born, she quit working outside of the house and became a full-time caretaker for her daughter. It was a tough transition - one that cut her off from the social connection that work had provided and ultimately challenged her identity.
So, when a friend at church invited Erin to a MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) meeting, Spielberger decided to attend. What she found were other women in the same season of life who could identify with her needs and her circumstances; she found friends.
Eventually, Spielberger took on a financial leadership role with MOPS, which met another need of this working woman turned stay-at-home mom. “It fulfilled … my need for something tangible outside of the house, outside of the baby,” she said.
Now, Spielberger serves as the coordinator for the MOPS group that meets on the Henderson Campus of Savannah Christian Church, and she loves it. As coordinator, she is often the first point of contact for other mothers who are looking for connection, understanding, support and friendship - women who are in the same position she was several years ago
“Education and support for new moms in the community is crucial,” says Christina Ulm, childbirth educator at the Women's Health Institute at Memorial University Medical Center. “Motherhood … can be sort of isolating for some moms, and this gets them out there and lets them know that maybe their issues or concerns that they think [are] significant only to them [are] also common among new moms.”
Through her role at the Women's Health Institute, Ulm sees many first-time moms and moms of young children, and as a result, has recognized the needs that are unique to that stage of life. “You know you're not the only mother out there, but why does it feel like you're so alone?” said Ulm, confirming what moms like Spielberger say they are thinking and feeling.
Whether moms stay at home or continue in the workplace, they face challenges that can be overwhelming and isolating. In Savannah and the surrounding areas there are a number of groups, like MOPS, that offer friendship, encouragement and practical information for moms according to their interests or circumstances. Groups like these enable women to find the support they need and be better equipped to take on their daily tasks.
Here are a few of the groups that exist to benefit local moms:
MOPS (MOPS.ORG)
MOPS, or Mothers of Preschoolers, meetings for moms of young children (0-5 years) allow them to connect with each other and be encouraged. Meetings include refreshments, child care, small-group discussions, speakers and an opportunity to meet other moms. Groups usually meet twice a month. Participants also arrange playdates and attend Moms' Night Out every other month.
Meeting places:
• First Baptist Church of the Islands (call 912-898-5086 or 912-898-4344)
• Savannah Christian East Campus (call Kim at 912-352-0791)
• Savannah Christian Henderson Campus (call Erin at 912-961-5619)
• Trinity United Methodist Church in Pooler (e-mail Tricia at
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
)
Fees: $23.95 per year to MOPS International. Local meeting fees are usually $5-$6 per meeting.
MOMS IN TOUCH (MOMSINTOUCH.ORG)
At these weekly prayer meetings, moms gather to pray for students, teachers and school activities. Groups gather on and off school campuses.
Inger Prescott leads the Moms in Touch group at the Savannah Christian Preparatory School Chatham Parkway Campus. “When you pray for your children, and especially when you pray with small groups,” said Inger, “you realize that other moms are going through the exact same thing - maybe one year down the road or about something else, but you realize you're not going through this by yourself.”
Meeting places:
• Savannah Christian Preparatory School Chatham Parkway Campus (call Inger at 912-356-9094)
• Savannah Christian Preparatory School DeRenne Campus (call Susan at 912-598-1276)
• Bryan County Schools: Richmond Hill Elementary
• Chatham County Schools: Calvary Baptist Day School, Heard Elementary, Hesse Elementary, St. Andrew's School, Savannah Arts Academy, Veritas Academy, Windsor Forest Elementary and multiple-school groups for college-aged, career and homeschooled students.
• Effingham County Schools: None
To find additional Moms in Touch groups in the area, or to find contacts for the schools listed above, visit momsintouch.org or e-mail the area coordinator, Stacy Cerone, at
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
.
Fees: None
MOMS CLUB OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY (MOMSCLUB.ORG)
A group for stay-at-home moms who want to meet each other in a supportive environment, MOMS Club's monthly meetings provide a chance to get to know other moms, hear a speaker and learn about the activities for the upcoming month. Some activities are mom-centered (sewing, scrapbooking, book clubs, etc.), and others are kid-centered (playdates at the park or seasonal gatherings). The group also does service projects throughout the year.
Jennifer Welch joined the MOMS Club of Effingham County in 2006. “Until you're … experiencing it, you don't really understand what it entails to be home and with your child and with your family 24 hours a day. So the support and friendship that I've received from other moms over the years has been the best thing about the club,” she said.
Meeting place: Rincon United Methodist, usually the third Tuesday of the month, at 10 a.m. In March, the date has been changed to March 19, the third Thursday. Call Jennifer at 912-661-2985 or e-mail her at
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
. Find a MOMS Club located closer to you at momsclub.org.
Fees: $25 per year
LA LECHE LEAGUE (LLLI.ORG)
A mother-to-mother support group for breastfeeding, La Leche League offers two types of meetings: Series Meetings, which provide basic information about breastfeeding, nutrition and weaning (these meetings are usually the entry point for women interested in La Leche); and Enrichment Meetings, which are more casual, often held at a coffee shop and include some playtime at a park or soft play for the kids.
Leia Sills joined La Leche after she nursed her daughter and found herself giving breastfeeding advice and guidance to friends who were struggling or misinformed. “They're an amazing group of women who are knowledgeable, talented, wonderful people who parent similarly,” she said. “I've learned so much from the people that I've met and the information that comes through the organization that continues to help as far as parenting things – even beyond the nursing.”
Meeting places: Series Meetings are held at The Midwife Group and Birth Center, 1692 Chatham Parkway, on the first Tuesday evening of each month. Enrichment Meetings are Tuesday mornings at various coffee shops in Savannah. Call Sills at 912-228-5241 or e-mail her at
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
)
Fees: $40 per year
ME AND MOMMY
This play group for infants through preschool provides a place of encouragement and friendship where moms can get to know one another. It meets on Saturday mornings so working moms can more easily participate. Call Judy at 912-961-0069 or e-mail her at
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
.
Now a mom of older children, Judy Ether, the group leader, knows what it was like to have young children and to need the friendship and support of other moms. “I just remember that feeling of aloneness, and I just want to reach out to moms. … This is for working moms, stay-at-home moms, single moms … anybody,” she said.
Meeting place: New Life Fellowship, 12915 White Bluff Road, Savannah. Meetings held on Saturday mornings.
Fees: None
FAMILY EDUCATION FOR CHRIST (FEFCONLINE.COM)
FEFC is a Christian homeschool support group for families in Savannah and surrounding areas. Monthly meetings provide practical homeschooling information such as how to start homeschooling, how to teach more than one child at a time and preparing for college. Group activities for students include field trips, seasonal parties or dances, Boy Scouts, Cub Scouts, American Heritage Girls and more.
Robin Blanchard has been a part of FEFC for more than a decade. “I think that it's important to have this type of network support group with other likeminded parents, because [homeschooling is] not easy, by any stretch. But when you have other people who are in the trenches … with you, it's very helpful. …You have other mothers to talk to. … It's good for you and it's good for your children,” she said.
Meeting place: First Freewill Baptist Church on Skidaway Road. Meets every third Tuesday night, August-November and January-May.
Fees: $30 per year (Join now at a reduced rate.)
YOUNG MOTHERS' BIBLE STUDY
The Rev. Nelle Bordeaux leads this weekly Bible study for young moms, which includes a Bible lesson and activity for children, infants through preschool. (Programming is available for elementary-school children in the summer.) The group is currently studying the book of Revelation. Register now for the summer course on “The Ten Commandments.” The group also works with Urban Hope, a ministry to Savannah children in need. Call Bordeaux at 912-234-9245 or e-mail her at
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
.
Gina Williamson, a mother of two young children, attends the Bible study. “It's an opportunity to not only learn God's word, but to learn how to apply it to my daily life. And it's also a great support group of other mothers. It's a great way for me to introduce Bible stories to my children in a fun environment,” she said.
Meeting place: St. Michael and All Angels Episcopal Church (corner of Washington and Waters avenues in Savannah); Tuesdays, 9-10 a.m.
Fees: None
Hohna Hartley is a freelance writer (and mommy-to-be) who lives in the Savannah area.
Comments