Let me tell you about one of the best things I ever did as a mother — joining a local Mothers of Preschoolers (MOPS) meetup! When my oldest was born, I spent a couple months as a stay at home mom with a newborn and quickly realized I just wasn’t cut out for staying at home. I knew I didn’t want to go back to work though, so I set out to find something for myself and my little newborn to do. After a short stint trying my hand at extreme couponing, I decided I needed something that gave me a little social interaction or I was going to be that weird lady in the checkout line that tells you her whole life story in 5 minutes!
Since I was one of the first of my friends here in Raleigh to start having kids, I didn’t have anyone going through the same life stage as I was. I didn’t have anyone to share the horror stories of scary birth experiences or spilled breast milk. Lots of out of town mom friends told me about MOPS and how I needed to find a local chapter to join for that sense of community I was craving. I gave it a search and decided I would try out a meeting and see how it goes. Six years later and I’m still loving MOPS, so I’m so glad I tried it out that cold January morning!
What is MOPS?
MOPS is for mothers of children from infancy through kindergarten. However, there’s also a school age group called MomsNext, and we like to have mentor moms as well, so technically MOPS is for any mom!
The goal is to equip moms to handle the joys and challenges of motherhood. This is done by helping mothers find friendship and acceptance, develop mothering skills, and promote spiritual growth.
MOPS is held in a church and does speak about God and faith, but mothers from all walks of life are welcome to attend. Speakers vary from religious to practical topics. My group has covered everything from the Wake County kindergarten process, coping after a pregnancy loss, gardening with kids, strengthening your marriage, and child nutrition. The women in the group are of many ages and backgrounds, but all share the same desire — to be the best mothers they can be.
What is a MOPS meeting like?
I attend the MOPS group at Crossroads Fellowship on Millbrook, but all MOPS groups follow a similar format, albeit at different days and times.
Meetings twice a month
My group usually meets on the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays of the month from 9:30am-11:30am. The moms meet all together and are split up into small groups of about 10 moms to foster a more intimate community. We enjoy coffee and brunch together, listen to an encouraging speaker, and have lots of time for chatting and discussion. Sometimes we also participate in a service project or make something creative.
Childcare provided
While the moms are meeting onsite, the children are placed into a preschool-like childcare setting in the next room. They will listen to a bible story, participate in a craft, have a snack, and have lots of time to play together. If your kids have ever attended church Sunday School or VBS it’s a lot like that. The childcare workers are hired by the church and background checked and vetted so you can ensure your child’s safety at all times.
Playdates with the kids
On the off weeks when we don’t have a MOPS meeting, small groups gather with the kids for playdates. This ensures that you are getting out of the house every Tuesday morning and hanging out with other moms and their kids. I love MOPS meetings, but I feel like I really get to know my small group during playdates! Plus, the kids become friends as well! I’ve also enjoyed seeing all of the different playdate ideas my fellow moms come up with, from touring a fire station, playing at the splash pad, or meeting at the museum for some great play time!
Mom’s Night Out
Each small group also schedules Mom’s Night Out about once a month. This is another great opportunity to connect on a deeper level by doing or learning something fun together. These can vary from dinner out (without little hands eating your food), practicing your swing at DriveShack, learning how to bake bread, Wine & Design paint parties, and dirty Santa Christmas parties! Honestly, I’ve gotten a lot of fun date night ideas from some of the adventurous and creative things I’ve done with my MOPS group! Plus, it’s nice to have a group to do something with if I have some crazy idea for an outing!
Community Support
With all of the scheduled activities, I can’t forget about the unparalleled support you will receive from your MOPS group. We all participate in baby showers and meal trains for new babies, plus we have an awesome network of hand-me-downs! I’ve barely had to purchase any clothes or toys for my kids the past 5 years just because of our annual MOPS Swap! It’s also not unheard of for MOPS moms to trade babysitting to get that coveted kid-free time for a date night. We’ve been with each other through the scary diagnoses, marital issues, job losses, and unexpected accidents, and also for the potty training victories, birthday celebrations, and even now homeschooling support!
Is there a fee?
MOPS is an international organization that consists of local chapters (kind of like a sorority, if you’re familiar with that). To be a part of MOPS you are asked to pay international dues of $31.95 that cover all of the fun digital content and theme resources you will have access to, as well as funding MOPS groups in third world countries. It’s a non-profit organization that does a lot internationally, so you are contributing to the global mission.
Most groups also have local dues to pay for childcare and supplies. This can vary dramatically since some groups have volunteer childcare workers and some have paid workers. The MOPS group I attend has semester dues of $100 since our workers are paid a competitive wage and we do not cap our membership. If you think about it though, this only comes out to $6 per hour of childcare no matter how many kids you have, so I think it’s worth it! Some groups have no local dues at all, but have a wait-list to attend. Most groups offer scholarships if cost is a factor.
How can I attend MOPS?
During this unprecedented quarantine time, community and friendship is more important than ever, but a lot has changed for MOPS groups worldwide. If you are interested in MOPS, I encourage you to reach out to some of the local groups to learn more about how they are meeting in light of current circumstances. Some groups are only meeting virtually, some are having limited in-person meetings. Some have switched to the evening and are no longer offering childcare.
You can find a group that works for you by searching the MOPS International website! It will list all meeting days and times and give you a way to contact for more information.
Hopefully you can find a group that works for you because the community and friendship that I have gained over the years rivals no other! It’s a great way to meet other local moms, focus on yourself for a few hours, and get a short break from the kids to refresh and recharge. You can’t pour from an empty cup, and MOPS is great about keeping your cup filled, both figuratively and literally! We love our coffee around here! 😂
