MOMS
Club fosters support, friendship among mothers
By
LYNDSEY TETER
Reprinted courtesy of The
Northwest Columbus News/SNP ©2006
Many join for the benefit of their
children, but a group of Columbus women have found much for themselves in their
membership in the MOMS Club of Northwest Columbus and Upper Arlington.
On a bright Friday morning, a group of
women and children gathered at Fancyburg Park in Upper Arlington to talk about
their organization.
The conversation among the group of new and
old friends was heartfelt and earnest, interrupted only with trips back and
forth from playground equipment as mothers kissed wounds or broke up arguments
as needed.
"I'm a firm believer in looking
someone in the eye when you talk," said Columbus resident Ann Warjone Bridgeland.
"But you can't do that as a mother."
"It's so great to be able to bolt out
of a conversation without worrying about seeming rude," said Monica
Rodenberg. "Everyone just understands."
The group of former lawyers, accountants,
teachers and nurses have all made the decision to stay at home with their
children. This common thread led to the formation of a support network that
goes well beyond a weekly playgroup.
"I was looking for a playmate for
Christopher and I developed friends and a support system as well," said
chapter president Amy Machol.
So was Marcy Spurgeon, who said she has
benefitted from her involvement in MOMS Club, which stands for Moms Offering
Moms Support.
"We share the good stuff and the bad
stuff...the milestones, the family problems and the doubt," she said.
"As a mother, you doubt yourself all the time."
The group meets mostly for scheduled
daytime activities, whether it be trips to the zoo, museums, parks or other
low-cost activities.
"We are all single-income families, so
we try to keep cost at a minimum," said Spurgeon.
Mothers share advice about every
conceivable scenario, whether it be questions about teething, or when to start
feeding a child raisins.
"It's so helpful with a
3-month-old" to speak to the mother of a 6-month-old," Warjone
Bridgeland said. "They can help with the stages their children have just
gone through."
Special MOMS programs such as Helping Hands
offers meals and assistance for new mothers and mothers caring for sick
infants. Special groups have formed for women whose husbands are traveling or
working late, and a special mom's night out is usually organized once a month.
"It's nice to go out without someone
tugging on your sleeve," Spurgeon said.
The group "specializes" in
pre-elementary aged children, although friendships often span long after
children are in school and the PTO era begins.
"I'm right on the tail end of my
time," said Spurgeon, whose child, Caleb, will soon be of school age.
"But I know we'll be friends until we're old and gray...These are women I
never would have crossed paths with in my professional life."
Membership fluctuates usually around August
when people are returning from vacations and pre-elementary children need
structure in their daily routines.
"It's a great time to join,"
Machol said. "Although we have new mothers coming in all the time."
In winter, the group gets creative with
trips to the mall, local recreation centers and educational trips.
For more information, visit the soon-to-be
up and running MOMS Club Web site, columbusmomsclub.com or call 614-459-4877.
Read more Central Ohio
Community News at the Suburban News Publications Web site, SNPonline.com.
