I had just moved to a new town and didn’t know any other parents. The weather was hot -- way too hot to take my 18 month old to the park -- and I stopped by a consignment shop I had seen while I was driving around.
While I was there, wandering around with my 18 month old exploring the child play area, another mom came in with a girl a little older than my son. Our children started playing together in the play area and soon she and I began a conversation. It turned out that she had recently moved to the area, too, and was looking for help with her daughter. Thus began a long friendship of mutual support. Even though we both later moved, we still kept in touch through our subsequent pregnancies, job challenges, and life’s surprises.
My friend, Tamsen, and I didn’t make all the same decisions regarding our parenting, but we found that we were both parents who cared a great deal and went out of our way to do what was best for our children. We were great support for one another and our families enjoyed each other’s company. Who would have thought that would be the case with someone I met at a children’s consignment shop seemingly by chance?
Do you have any stories of how you’ve met other parents or people who became a good support to you? Let’s inspire each other with the interesting ways that we find each other! What’s YOUR story?
3 comments:
Great story, Rebecca! I have a great story, too. Having been single for six years since the end of my last relationship, I was ready to love again. That readiness came from the amazing growing I have done since finding love-based, relationship-centered parenting. So, where did I meet my amazing partner, with whom I living, loving, and parenting kiddos with trauma histories? At BCI's Mom's Conference! We were dyad partners doing experiential work together! And we are still doing experiential processing together!
I was blessed to find a GREAT online group of moms when I found out I was expecting DS#4. The Due In July 2006 girls and I have been together now for over 5 years (I got my BFP 10/19/2005 and signed onto the site a few days later). While there were probably close to 60 of us at the peak of our pregnancies, about 24 of us have remained together and are now on Facebook. Those ladies opened my eyes to a WORLD of life. Thanks to them, I cloth diapered, baby wore, child-led weaned, became a stay-at-home mom, and started home schooling DS#2 (#1 and #3 have unique situations which make home schooling them out of the question). I also intend to home school #4, who will be turning 5 this summer. Imagine all of that by searching for baby names online?! LOL
Hi Karen, I just LOVED your story! That's just perfect and divine. :-)
And Capagrl, isn't it just amazing how your life can be so changed by people you meet online? So profound. And when you weren't even looking for community! Have you met any of those moms in person over the time you've known them?
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