I became a mom for the first time last year, and I'm realizing the importance of finding a community of mothers going through the same stage of life. After leaving my job of 17 years, transitioning to becoming a stay at home mom has been rewarding, but has also been difficult and isolating at times. If you've had a child, you no doubt understand the trials of postpartum life, especially with your first child. Wouldn't it be comforting to be able to connect with others going through the same things who could offer support and encouragement?
My first few months of motherhood seemed like a blur, and getting out of the house felt impossible most days. My husband has been a huge help and support, but I want to be able to connect with other moms to share experiences and have friends for my son as well. I have made some good mom connections through the Peanut app, but some of them don't live close enough to allow us to meet up easily. I was thankful to find the community called Mama Village Triad thanks to some mutual friends on Instagram. Courtney Lotz founded this group and organizes so many fun activities, including nights out for moms, playdates at the park, nutrition classes, and seasonal meetups at local farms and other venues. I enjoyed attending my first event with Mama Village at Oden Brewing and meeting several other moms at that event. I look forward to joining more events this year and bringing my son along to meet some baby friends as well!
Below is an excerpt of the origin story behind Mama Village, written by Courtney for Triad Moms on Main. I love that she took the initiative to create this much needed space and invests so much time into creating events that bring mamas together. If you're looking for a welcoming place to connect with other moms, I hope you'll join us. For January there will be a playdate at Q's Corner and a mama's night out at Southend Brewery. You can find all the details and RSVP on the Facebook group.
There is something so special when you find your people that build you up, support you and cheer you on. Have you ever desired a community where you truly felt like you belonged? Finding your people is an adventure and sometimes a rollercoaster. We all need connection because we were made for it.
After several years of allowing the pandemic to invade our lives, we are weary of the isolation and the anxiety that it induced. I have had countless conversations with women about how the pandemic surfaced their depression, anxiety and how isolated they have been feeling. You are not alone if you faced some challenges throughout these years. We all feel a tug on our hearts for community + authentic relationships.
Discovering a Need
As a first-time mama, I truly felt the need to be connected to other mamas and find support through this new adventure of motherhood. My little family moved to the Triad in the middle of the pandemic. Community was hard to find because so many people were keeping their circles intentionally small. The search alone for a great community is challenging enough and then I discovered I was pregnant in April of last year. Our journey to becoming pregnant took years and my anxiety was heightened during those nine months. We chose to be very cautious during that time. As such, I am so grateful for the time spent as a couple before our sweet baby girl arrived.
Since pregnancy, my desire grew bigger and bigger to find other mamas. I thought to myself, I just need to create it. My introverted self cringed at the thought, but I had to put it into action. Creating community versus living in isolation became my New Year’s goal. So, I gauged the interest. Within a few days, I had 50 women interested in being a part of it! The need was bigger than anticipated. We needed a community to connect us together not separate us.
Creating a Community
Mama Village was created to serve the Triad by connecting mamas with intention to build relationships that support and encourage each other. You can find MamaVillage.Triad on Facebook and Instagram where we share our desires for the group and the upcoming events. Many of the mamas own their own businesses and we are here to cheer each other on throughout motherhood and beyond.
Currently, we aim for two to three events a month. These events are a mix of playdates, mama meet ups and sharing community events that are kid-friendly. We are actively growing throughout the Triad and look to serve the area well. Our events are spread throughout the region to provide easy accessibility to attend.
Staying Connected
Let’s make strides together for community versus isolation in 2022 and make this year count. Get connected with Mama Village or plug into a community that will serve you well for the exact place you are and whatever you personally need. For more ways to meet other local moms, visit TMoM’s directory of Triad Mom Groups and Meet-Ups!
Mama Village Triad
Meeting Place: across the triad
Facebook: Mama Village. Triad
Instagram: @mamavillage.triad
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