Creating a Mom Team
In my last post I talked about the idea of a mom team. In its most basic definition a mom team is a network of support for you as a mom. It can range from tangible support to emotional support.
A mom wears a lot of different hats. At certain seasons some hats and tasks are more challenging than others. Some areas of our life need more help. Who is on our team or what we need help with can change and shift as our seasons of motherhood shift.
Many of us have mom teams or partial teams in our life. But we may not always recognize them as our team. So when the tasks of motherhood overwhelm us it can be easy to feel like we are on our own. Creating a list of people or resources and putting on the fridge, in your planner or calendar is a simple way to identify who is on your team and have it accessible. It is also a great visual reminder you are not alone on this journey of motherhood!
Creating a Mom Team 1. Write down all the people in your life who support you and your role as mom. It can range from someone to watch the kids to someone you call when you need a listening ear or to talk through a situation.
2. Identify the areas of your role as a mom you are feeling the most overwhelmed.
3. Brainstorm support for that area of life
4. Take action on getting help
If you are still wondering, where do I even begin - here is a brainstorm list/ list of ideas to help get the juices flowing.
Childcare - Family members you trust - Nanny, daycare - Recommendations from friends or family for babysitters - Start a date night or break swap with a friend or neighbor Meal Planning - create your own meal planning system - E-meals www.emeals.com - Prep Dish www.prepdish.com Grocery Shopping - Shop as a family to lighten the load - Shop with your kids - Spouse goes shopping - Grocery delivery service Cleaning - Create your own realistic cleaning routine - Clean as a family and/ or divide tasks among everyone - Create a chore chart/ give kids manageable cleaning tasks to help - Hire a cleaning service for a season - Hire a teenager who is looking for work or needing service hours
Childrearing - Find a mom a season or two ahead and ask if you can contact them with questions as they arise - Parents or grandparents - Books - Blogs - Podcasts - I have created a favorites page with books, blogs and podcasts that are helpful for motherhood
Emotional support - Identify friends who encourage you and are there for you - Identify family members who encourage you and support you - Join a MOPs group or other group for moms - Counselor or therapist Medical care - Postpartum care - Lactation Specialist - Pediatrician - Specialists - Massage Therapy - Physical Therapy - Nurse hotline
If this still seems overwhelming, focus on the one area of motherhood you are most overwhelmed. Get help in that one area.
Your mom team will change and adapt with different seasons of motherhood. You may not need help in all of these areas and you may need help in many areas during certain seasons.
Keep your piece of paper in a place where you see it often such as on the fridge or in your planner or calendar. As you add people or think of people, write it on your list. Keeping the list in a visible place is a great reminder you are not alone in this journey of motherhood! You have a team who is there with you and supporting you!
