How are you connected? I know we are all walking around connected to Facebook and Instagram, but in what other ways are we connected? Connected to our kids. Connected to other moms. Connected to our community. Connectivity is being joined or linked together, plugged in, and close in association. Being online and connected to virtual platforms and “friends” with others is one way to connect. However, it is more important to connect physically and emotionally… and make it purposeful. As parents, we can’t do it all by ourselves. There are times we need to reach out and find resources and other parents that may be in the same season of life. These connections can make all the difference in our journey through parenthood.
In this month’s feature article, The Importance of Connecting with Your Community, the author suggests various ways to find connections and some great benefits of doing so. Connecting to the community can be as simple as finding a home church, volunteering with your daughter’s school PTO, or joining a book club. Decide on a personal interest of yours and find others in the community with the same interest.
When my children were in elementary school, I decided to volunteer as often as I could with the PTO. It allowed me to get involved with the school events and help with fundraising efforts. It also gave me time to interact with other moms. It created connections. What I didn’t expect was that many of those moms would become my best friends, and we would become invaluable resources to each other as we raised our children.
Connecting with others might be easy for some but a challenge to others. Stepping outside your comfort zone can be hard at times. How do I start a conversation with someone new? What if they don’t like me? What if I don’t fit in? These are internal conversations that we all have in our minds when trying new things. Start small and just give it a try. Maybe take your children to the local library during family story time and make small talk with another mom. You both might be feeling the same way. But one kind introduction may be all it takes to form a connection with someone who will enhance your parenting life.
Maybe meeting new people comes easily to you. Be the mom at story time who notices a new mom in the group and reaches out. She may have just moved here and is making small efforts to connect to the community. Your kind gesture might make a world of difference in her life as she adjusts to her new home on The Plains.
If you have just moved here, let me be the first to welcome you to our community. Your family will feel encouraged and welcomed in no time. Get out and explore your new hometown, meet new people, and get connected this summer. From one parent to another, welcome home.
