Meeting Moms

When I moved to Wisconsin I found that the ward was really spread out. This made it tough to easily get together with moms I was meeting at church. (I really was hoping for some across-the-street types.) So, I decided to venture into community groups in order to meet some women who lived closer to me. Here's a look at what I found.

A friend of mine in Iowa always raved about her MOPS group. MOPS stands for Mothers Of PreSchoolers. I decided it was time to see what it was all about. MOPS is a Christian-based program where Moms and kids go for their own kinds of fun. Moms get to drop off their kids at a fantastic age-appropriate child care area. My kids both LOVE their classes--and I have been impressed with the professionalism there. They have fun teachers, clean rooms, great toys, activities, bible lessons, and crafts. While they are busy the Moms go to a large class where they get to eat brunch, chat with friends, make a craft (some weeks), and hear a speaker. It is SO great! Each week you sit with the same group (which gets rearranged yearly) so you really get to know a core group. In my area there must be over 100 women in all. After the speaker, each group meets in a separate room for discussion about the day's topic. I have found the ladies to be so genuine and fun and the discussions to be entertaining and enriching. I think MOPS is fantastic--I absolutely recommend to anyone to find a chapter and enjoy your special morning now and then.

MOPS meets monthly or twice a month (for 2 hours) for the duration of the school year. (Though many small-groups get together during the summer and MOPS has a few large park activities in the summer as well.) The cost is $25 for the year. Childcare is $6 per family each time you go. Both prices are a bargain for what you get!

The second group I got into is called MOMS Club International. It is a little different from MOPS in that you have more activities for Moms and kids together. At their monthly membership meetings they have a speaker (somewhat like the MOPS does) and their childcare is free, but is a rotation of the Moms watching the kids in a nursery room-type area. They also have (at my location) space for kids to color or watch a video closer to the Moms. I'm not as wild about their childcare--but it is free. In addition to a monthly membership meeting, MOMS Club offers its members a variety of break-out groups--scrap booking, cooking, exercise, etc, and all kinds of playgroups. I think their biggest pull is the playgroups. You instantly have choices of groups to join and you can decide which one has the right ages or meets at the times most convenient to you. MOMS Club also organizes a lot of activities at local establishments--library story time, gymnastics free-play, chuck-e-cheese, these types of things. They are also very active in service opportunities in the community. MOMS Club (as you may have noticed) is really similar to Relief Society! It's just held in the morning so you can go and bring your kids. MOMS Club is $30 a year.

Between these two groups and a weekly church playgroup I really have more going on than I can do! But better to be busy and pick and choose, than to be bored!

Does anyone else belong to a different group outside the church? Or have another way they've met Moms?