Being home alone with small children and no one else to talk to is enough to challenge the sanity of even the most devoted mother.
Add to that the stresses of loneliness, having nobody who understands what you’re going through, and nowhere to go for advice. Even worse, you’re new in town and you don’t know where anything is.
When you’re a mom with young children living in Calgary, there are a lot of resources to help you connect you with other moms: community groups, church groups, mom and tot play groups, mommy and baby story times. One of the newest – and quickly becoming the most popular – ways for moms to meet is through local online forums.
If you’re new to the world of online (i.e. Internet) communities, they are basically places on the Internet where you hold discussions with others who share your interests. Friendships are often developed and members sometimes meet IRL (in real life). For moms looking for a community to connect with, joining a local online forum is a true sanity-saver.
1. You can chat with other moms about the joys (and not so joyous things) of being a mom. When it’s hard to get out of the house, you can talk to people without having to leave the comfort of your home.
2. Be around other pros and learn from their situations and stories.
3. Meet other moms and have a multitude of people to talk to who can relate to what you are going through as a mom and as a woman. You can vent and the other women will understand what you’re talking about.
4. They’re great for moms new to Calgary. When you’re new to the city and don’t know anyone, joining a local forum is an easy way to start to build a new support system.
5. While many moms initially join a forum to find playdates for their children, they usually end up finding good friends of their own. Moms who join meet wonderful ladies from all over the city, not just their own community.
6. Playgroups!!! Moms in the forums set up playgroups and get together regularly for zoo trips, walks and park visits.
7. Forums are a safe place to ask advice on any topic at any time of day.
8. A feeling of belonging. You meet other people who are going through the same things you are. You feel less alone and better able to cope with the tough things when you know that other people have been there too.
9. Get information about where to find things in Calgary. If there is anything you need to find in Calgary or somewhere you need to go, someone on a local forum will likely have been there before and can tell you where it is.
10. Moms Night Outs. The moms in the forums meet regularly without their children to have fun together doing activities like moms night outs and weekend retreats.
Now that you know what an online mom-based forum can do for you and your sanity, how do you find one? Calgary’s largest mom-focused online community is www.calgarymoms.com. Other Canadian mom-based forums can be found at www.canadianmomscommunity.com.
About the author: Britt Raposo helps moms and work at home moms (WAHMS) across Canada connect with each other through online forums and podcasts. Visit www.CanadianMomsOnline.com for more information.
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