To support fellow at-home moms with encouragement and advice. To provide information on activities that benefit at-home moms and their children.
MOMS Club of Suffolk and Isle of Wight, Va Open House
Ever Feel like you’re the only mother that stays at home? You are not alone! Come meet other at-home mothers at the MOMS Club! The MOMS Club (MOMS Offering Moms Support) is an International nonprofit organization specifically for at-home mothers everywhere!
New Here
Hello, we have been here for almost a year. I have a 3yr old girl and 1yr old boy, both with special needs. My hubby and I have been married for a year, so sea duty is new to me. I am a sahm looking to find some friends just like me. I have met some ship wives and they were less than "friend" material! I am so glad I found this website :) Amanda
Christmas Money Savers
How do you save money on Christmas shopping? We have a limited budget this year but I still want to make it fun. What do you suggest?
Need help! Move affecting my toddler!
So not only am I new to the site here, but I am new to Hampton Roads. I am trying desperately to find a job and some connections, but my biggest issue is the major changes my 2 year-old (25 months) daugther is under-going. We've just moved here from Pittsburgh, PA for my husband's career. I still do not work, which is helpful considering all she knows is up north.
MOMS Club
Thinking about my chapter's upcoming open house, I thought it would be a good idea to tell you all a little about the MOMS Club. It's an international organization for stay at-home moms of children of any age. I've been a member for 5 1/2 years and have meet some great moms. MOMS Club is mom-centered and run by its members. Members create the calendar and come up with some great ideas!
new places to walk
Any ideas on where to take a walk with the stroller and our dog? I have done the boardwalk, Mt. Trashmore, and First Landing State Park but I am bored with those places... and our neighborhood... Help!
going crazy
we have lived here for about a year now and i dont know where or what thier is to do around here i also know no one and i have a 19mo and a 5mo old both boys i am home alot alone so i get bord and my oldest seems to be bord with all that he has to do i dont go to the parks around here cuz my youngist so i would like to meet some other moms that we could get togeather with kid of same age grops
Hey :)
Hi everyone, I just moved here from Pensacola, Fl in January. I have a 4 year old and a 2 year old. I'm trying to find a preschool for my 4 year old while also trying to get settled in a new town. This is my first military move, my husband has been in the service for 10 years so he is used to moving but it is a whole new world for me.
Extra Money
Hi ladies! I am new to this site,and it is a wonderful place to moms! I am really glad that i found this site. I am a 22 year old college senior with a 5 month old baby girl! I would like to extend my services to all of you lovely ladies, I just started a home business and so far it has done me really well!
Having a horrible time finding babysitters
I have tried to find a part-time babysitter without success! I have tried www.care.com and no one returned my phone calls. Now I am trying www.sittercity.com, and have had one person not return my calls! I am just wondering why people advertise themselves to babysit if they really don't want to?
Pediatrician Recs
I'm looking for a pediatrician for my 3 year old and son and 7 mos old daughter. I'm hoping to hear about any and all experiences, positive or negative, that folks have had with local pediatricians. Thanks! Peggy
Discussion: "New as well"
Hello everyone! I am new to the site but have been in the Hampton Roads area for years. I am a SAHM, married to a coastie with a 5 year old daughter and a 2 year old son. I found this website in a tidewater parents magazine my daughter brought home from school. I'm looking to connect with other military wives and/or SAHM.
Fairly new to Deep Creek and have 3rd & 5th grade girls
We (active duty Navy husband, 11 yr old and 9 yr old daughters and I) transferred up here from Pensacola right at the beginning of the school year. We got up here just in time to find out that our schools would be changing.
Kids' Consignment Sale
Sell your gently-used kids stuff at the Thoroughly-Good Kids Consignment Sale
Warehouse Clubs
Does anyone out there shop mostly at BJs or Sams or Costco and do you feel that this saves you more money than using coupons combined with sales. I feel like I spend too much time at grocery stores and perhaps buy more than I would by being there, even with the sales and coupons. I may try the warehouse-only approach for a month and compare.
Finding a Schedule That Works
Do any of you homeschooling moms out there continually tweak your schedule throughout the beginning of the school year to find what works the best as far as order of subjects, or chore time, or break times? I have been changing things around a lot it seems trying to find the "ideal" schedule. What are your adjustments that you have had to make?
What Else Do I Need to Do?
I am trying to cut our $1000 a month grocery bill in half. Besides clipping coupons, and shopping the sales, what else is key to reducing our food costs?
Comments
Finding Support Groups
I have always found that the churches we have attended have had a lot of support for both stay at home moms and working moms. And there are a lot of tattoos at our church! It seems a lot of twenty somethings have them, and all the military guys. We have a Wednesday morning Bible Study with childcare and people come who don't even go to our church or any church because it is just that much fun. We have evening Community Groups for anyone, but the working moms tend to go to those because it is easier. Sometimes child care is provided. And we have the best playground in Ghent free and open to the public always. Check out www.trinitynorfolk.com for more info and events.
When my children were babies and toddlers, I lived in a neighborhood with a lot of stay at home moms. In our new neighborhood, there are a lot more working moms, so I know how it feels to seem like you are the only one home. I definitely feel more lonely here than I did in our old house.
I am not a military wife. We
I am not a military wife. We have tried the library. My daughter is 8. Not preschooler. I wish she was a preschooler. We go to 3 diffrent libraries in norfolk. It seems like everyone has super young kids.
I am a stay home home school mom
I home school my daughter who is almost eight. I have found it very difficult to find things for us to do. I have tried girl scouts, but the girl scout leader stopped meeting. My daughter was making friends and felt like she fit in and then had her heart broken because all she got to do in the girls scouts is sell cookies. I want her to make friends and have a good childhood. It just seems so hard at times. We dont have lots of money. We live in an apartment. I guess I just want what is best for my daughter.
Start your own troop
I have started three girl scout troops (we move cross country a lot) where there were either no troops or the meetings or leaders weren't a good fit. Please consider starting your own troop - the Girl Scouts do a lot more than sell cookies but they need guidance and leadership. By doing it you not only get to bond with your daughter but give other girls an opportunity as well. The council is always looking for volunteers.
Michelle Galvez
Community Editor
I work from home and was
I work from home and was surprised at how lonely I got when the kids were at school and no one else was around. Volunteering at the kids' school has kept me connected with other adults with kids, and so has volunteering with the Girl Scouts. We have a great list of moms' groups on here that can help you connect with other moms in your area, too. You might want to try Meet Up online as well -- they have lots of groups for kids and moms. If one doesn't seem right for you after you've tried it, please try another. It's so important to have support! Please keep posting on here with questions and concerns. We're all in this together!
Kristen De Deyn Kirk
Editor, Mytidewatermoms.com
How have you found support?
As a SAHM, how have you found support in the community?
Do you belong to a moms group? Do you seek out activities in the community? How have you connected with other at-home moms?
I have support from multiple
I have support from multiple "Mommy/Preshcool" ministries at my church, which includes the moms group MOPS. I'm also a member of another moms group. In addtion, I have play dates with a SAHM friend and attend many library events for toddlers.
I havent found a support
I havent found a support group in the community. The only other mom I know who stays home is my mother in law. We dont have lots of money. Ive tried the rec center swimming but she doesnt want to do that anymore. We did the library things she didnt want to do that anymore. She will be 8 in 2 weeks and i try so hard to find things for us to do. I would love to have some friends with kids her age or near her age. We just cant seem to meet anyone.
Support
We had some new neighbors move in about a month ago. I saw the mom outside one day and started chatting with her. She is also a stay at home mom because being in a military family, she could not have a career.
My daughter, who is 6, and hers, who is 9, will be going to the same school next week. They have already had playdates and the mom has babysat for us for date night.
I think it is very important to see who is in your community. It's not always appropriate or easy to just walk up and ring someone's doorbell, but if you see someone outside that you have never met, strike up a conversation.
To give me a little something to do I signed up to be an Avon representative in January. Things are going a little slow, but they are going. It is something to consider if you are looking for something to take up some of your time or a lot of it, depending on oyur sales style. Just because we are at home moms doesn't mean that we don't want to look beautiful.
Independent AVON Sales Representative
www.youravon.com/mtaylor-brown
How Have You Found Support
First - you have done the right thing by visiting this site and opening a copy of Tidewater Parent Magazine. That is how I did it. Even before I started working for the publication (I am not the calendar editor as well as other roles). Second - visit your local library for a regular story time. It is a great way to connect with other moms. Third - Moms groups and play groups are also good. - Churches, community outreach programs (Family Focus in York County and Newport News) were a mainstay for us. Other cities have different programs. Fourth - Recreation centers also have classes during the day that are great. For example, I know a couple of ladies that met during a mom and me swim class. We became friends with a family because our daughters were in the same dance class. If you are military, the base may have some programs. The key I found is having a couple of regular things (such as story time every Tuesday at the library). You will find that other folks do the same and it is a great way to connect with other at-home moms. Once you connect and your children connect with friends, set aside another day to get together with friends.
Susan Smigielski Acker
The problem we seem to be
The problem we seem to be running into is that we arent like everyone else. I have tattoos that are VERY visable. I am 24. Sometimes we feel like no one will talk to us and we have tried. We live in east ocean view. We dont drink or go out on dates. I just dont know what to do :(
Tattoos
I just moved here 3 weeks ago and I know it's been a short time but i have about 4 visible tattoos and it's hard to find people who don't judge because of them. My husband is military and he leaves in 3 weeks for 6 months and I am dying to meet a friend before he leaves for i don't go crazy but the holidays coming up it's going to be hard. We don't drink or go out very much either. I'm kinda familiar with VB because we lived here 4 years ago but I am very confused in how to meet like minded people. Let me know if you would like to set up a playdate or something. I have 2 boys....5 and 3
Military family?
Are you by chance a military family? If so there are several support groups I could introduce you to, as well as suggesting a call to the ombudsman or family readiness group, to meet other spouses and moms.
I also meet other moms at church - dropping off kids at the nursery before and after services, at Sunday school, and others exasperated by their wild children running around the older adults with precariously balanced coffee cups during social hour.
The park and playground is also a good place, I've met many a good friend while pushing swings. Common ground right off the bat and lots of good intro questions about the kids, where we live, ages, grades, etc. etc.
I agree that if someone seems offended by appearance then that's probably not someone you'd want to befriend anyway.
Problem
Funny, I think I don't fit in because I don't have any tatoos and I am a advanced maternity mom (had my kids at 38 and 40). However, your library in Ocean View is one of the best I have ever been to. It is a nice place to meet moms - especially at the storytime because many people go every week at the same time. Try also MOPS - mothers of preschoolers (if that is what you have). There are some on this website and they have their own website, try google. Preschool age is considered around 2. And if someone does not talk to you because of your appearance, then perhaps that person is not a good person that you would not want to hang out with. Let me know.
Susan Smigielski Acker