Investing in Self and Family: Finding Your Village, Part One

Remember the saying "It takes a village to raise a child"? It makes sense; raising children is a challenge that can benefit from the expertise of different voices bringing varied experience to the table. In this day and age, there seems to be a prevalent "to each their own" mentality where man (and woman) is an island in the sea of humanity. How does one get that "village" effect if their village is, say, halfway across the country? Moms and dads need support when kids enter into the family equation. If you find yourself away from your extended family and friends and trying to raise your family, here is one way in which you can find your "village."

MOPS

In case you're not familiar with the MOPS, it is an international group solely for mothers of preschoolers (get it?). Any mom who is pregnant or who has kids that are kindergarten-aged and younger is welcome to join.

The format usually involves quality on-site childcare for the kiddos while the moms have a hot meal (yes, totally hot!) and enjoy some quality time with other moms who are in the same boat. Some meetings have themes and tackle issues that are of interest to moms and women while others might be on the lighter side (Spa Day is the absolute best!) or offer the chance to make a craft while engaging in some fellowship with fellow moms. Always, there is a warm, welcoming time of respite. It's a safe bet to say that there is truly something for everyone at these meetings.

So how does MOPS help you find your village? By giving you – the mom – an outlet to link up with other mothers of small children. Also, a lot of these groups feature older, "mentor" moms who have "been there, done that" when it comes to raising children and are more than happy to pass their knowledge down to newer moms. A village needs people, and what better people to add to your village than those who 1) understand what it's like being a young mother and 2) are probably looking for similar companionship.

Chances are, there is a MOPS near you. To find one in your neck of the woods and to get more info about the group, you can check out their website.

If for some reason you find yourself in an area without a MOPS, there could be a similar moms group out there just waiting for you to come join. For example, while there are at least three MOPS near me, there are at least a good half-dozen more informal moms groups that meet on a regular basis. A search of a local family magazine, a local paper or even craigslist can put you on the track to help build your village.

No matter what circumstances in life keep you away from your family as you are trying to raise your own, you can do a little reaching out to find your place in your own village. Keep watching MomVesting as we bring you a couple of more ideas on finding your village.

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