What Would Be Your Ideal Moms Group If You Had to Belong to One?

i think i would want a chance to meet and get to know the other moms. But i'm shy and need icebreaker type activities so i have something to say. just my 2 cent.

I think I would be the last mom to ever join a Moms Group--I simply cannot relate to women for extended periods of time when all we have in common is the fact that we have children. :) Now, if it were a bunch of women who liked watching Action Movies, reading Victorian poetry or science fiction/fantasy novels, and playing Trivial Pursuit, I might be tempted to hang out a little longer. :) I would, on a more practical level, enjoy information on meal short-cuts while keeping things healthy, meal budgeting, homemade cleaners, how on earth women can work full-time and still keep their homes clean and their flower beds weeded (mine look more like a jungle--thankfully I took pictures this year when they were pretty or I would never believe I had them done!), and anything else that offers life-friendly busy parent healthy living ideas. I would also be interested in ideas on decorating without a budget (meaning nothing but loose change). Probably not too helpful, but there it is. :)

If I had a mom's group, I'd want to be able to just relax, talk to a mom or two while our kids played at the playground. I love watching my son interact with other kids. I would NOT want to listen to 'seminar-type teachings' while my son plays in the childcare. But that's just me. I guess what I want is more of a play-date type setting instead of a room full of mom's listening to someone teach me how to use a crock-pot or fold origami napkins.

But if I WERE learning to fold napkins or making home-made playdough, I'd want SNACKS there too. (ya know how mom's aren't allowed to eat the snickers bars in front of their kids or else then the kids want some too? Well if there are no kids, then THAT'S the time to eat Snickers and drink the sodas w/o the kiddos there to bug you).

I'm orginally from Wesley Chapel =) Good luck!

I'm by no means a younger mom anymore when i first started looking for mom friends. (in my mind) Though I'm only 26 but I have a really hard time relating to any playgroups. I'd love to find a playgroup with an equal mix of ages. A lot of them are all fuddy duddy. I like excitement and good vibes!! I like talking and doing things JUST for mom. Yes they are for the kids too but I need that mom connection. Talking about other things other than my kids. I do that all day long already. Exchanging phone numbers and feeling like i made real friends instead of ones i saw on "monday and Friday" would be nice. Being laid back and welcoming to all. So many get cliquey.
*We did a fire station tour on BBD and CO.Line area! It was fantastic and the kids loved it. I like FREE!! as I've noticed the cheaper things are the more attend.
Good luck wish I was still in the area to join!

I am one of the moderators of a local mom's group and the main thing we try to do is keep the group to 30 members or less and put activities on the calendar that will appeal to all different age groups, as well as just moms. We have a huge range of ages of children in our group so an activity that is great for a 3 year old may not work for a 7 year old. While we have done an occasional seminar, (we did one on couponing once) that is really not our focus. Our group is more to give moms an opportunity to get out of the house, hopefully make some friends and let their kids have fun. We do alot of Mom's night out events, it can be as simple as a movie or more planned like a chocolate making party we are doing next month. We've done scavenger hunts, amazing races, mom's weekends away, the list really goes on and on. We also do charity work; we hold garage sales and do parent's night out where we collect money from each family that particpates and use that money toward a charity we choose at Christmas. Just a tip, we do have 5 moderators so it helps if you have people to run the group with you since it can be alot of work :) Good luck starting your group, I would be lost without mine!

i belonged to e perfect mom group. most important thing was organizing playdates (age appropriate), meaning moms with kids with similar ages would organize something, while others did something else.
we had moms' night out once a month (huge thing, and location varied).
i wanted moms' group to be a place where i feel relaxed, comfortable, and learn from other moms, not how to fold napkins, or how to clean my kitchen :)
when moms take time off kids, meaning a few hrs to themselves, they most likely want to go out for a cup of coffee with friends, shop for those clothes you otherwise do not get done with kids in tow. we did all that.
so keep it relaxed, have an email set up to go to all members and for god's sake (smiley face here) interview moms before allowing them in. once a few oddballs join the group, things escalate, drama starts and 'normal' moms will not want to be a part of the group.
when i joined, i emailed the moderator, she met me at a location of our choosing, we talked and talked and then she approved me.

I used to attend Mom's Club and it was a great place to meet other moms and kids. We too had speakers, field trips, went to a nursing home. We made great friendships. As the kids get older it's hard to have playdates and themed parties (Halloween, Valentine's etc.) They were a lot of fun. We did the co-op childcare at night also. Where 2-3 families stayed home and watched the kids and 2-3 family's (husband and wife's) had date night. Also being available to help out when a mom was pregnant, needed a child picked up from school and last minute emergency's was a huge help.

I am on the steering team for our local MOPS (Mothers of Pre-schoolers) group and we've gotten some good feedback for our last couple years. We usually have a speaker on topics similar to what you mentioned, we've also had a Mary Kay lady come talk about self esteem, and a couple different speakers about romance/relationships. Occasionally we will have a craft after or instead of the speaker. Free childcare is a huge deal, but we are starting to have a problem getting enough volunteers from week to week. Snacks are also an essential, but we have a schedule of who is bringing the snack each week so it doesn't fall on one person. If you're still in the planning stages, check out the www.mops.org, they have good material for starting up a new group. Good luck - more areas need a good moms group!

For me to join a mom's group it would need to be something active. Even if it was just board games... but ideally something like boating, hiking, surfing, playing pool, dancing... whatever. But doing something I enjoyed with others who enjoy similar.

Wow, wish this moms group had existed before mine were school age! Definitely getting everyone's phone numbers and e-mails is good and sometimes knowing peoples religious affiliations (if any) helps. Have a great one!