Moms Getting Involved In the Community

Staying at home to take care of the kids is a rewarding and fulfilling job. However, many stay-at-home mothers wish that they could have more adult-time or utilize their knowledge and other skill sets. Getting involved with the community is a great way to get the best of both worlds. Here are some wonderful ways in which mothers can make great use of their talents, meet other adults with similar interests and help the community become a better place for their family.

Neighborhood Associations give mothers abundant opportunities to contribute their time and expertise to make the neighborhood a better place to live in. The level and type of involvement is entirely up to the individual. The first step would be to ask around for a number or contact person who can provide information about the association’s activities. Each Neighborhood Association decides what group to get involved in based on the interests of its members.

These are some of the typical activities a Neighborhood Association offers:

• Volunteering for neighborhood causes

  Does your neighborhood lack safe places for kids to play in? Is your neighborhood pond getting dirtier by the day? If that is a problem for you, it’s most likely to be a problem for your neighbors as well. Neighborhood Associations usually take up issues faced by the community and work together to address it through awareness campaigns, fund-raising, cooperation with other civic bodies, etc. These efforts can always use more members and more community involvement. Accordingly, mothers can expect to be enthusiastically welcomed to the group.

• Walks with neighbors

  Mothers often lose out on a lot of ‘me-time’ and staying fit can also be more challenging than it was before. Joining a walking group is a good way to meet others and get the motivation needed to get back to exercising. The Association will have details of the members and timings of these walks, so mothers can easily find a group that is suitable to join.

• Gardening clubs

  For mothers who love spending time in the garden, joining a gardening club is rewarding. These clubs typically meet once a month and members share gardening tips, conduct tours of members’ gardens or go on excursions to learn more about gardening!

• Food clubs

  Mothers with fussy eaters who just cannot appreciate their cooking skills can find admirers in fellow members of a food club! A food club is a great place to showcase cooking skills, exchange recipes, taste great food and enjoy good company.

• Sewing clubs

  It isn’t easy to find time to knit or crochet with little busybodies who need constant supervision. A sewing club is where mothers can put their sewing skills to good use and learn a trick or two from other sewing enthusiasts.

• Language clubs

  Learning a new language is always fun, but remembering the language is tough without opportunities to practice. A language club lets mothers find others who can speak the same language and gives them a solid hour or two of conversation practice. These conversations are guaranteed to be fun, challenging and rewarding!

• Suggest a new club/cause

  Mothers who find that their Neighborhood Association does not have a cause or interest group for a matter that is close to their heart can always speak to the Association’s officers about beginning one. With enough supporters, there’s no reason the Association wouldn’t be glad to do so.

Whether getting involved with the child’s school, helping a neighbor in need or just getting some quality time to do a favorite activity, mothers can benefit greatly from being an active member of the local community.