My local MOMS club stinks!!

have
been trying to contact my local chapter since July. I found a phone
number and email address but messages were not returned. I had given
up on receiving contact and decided I would just show up at a meeting.

In the local newspaper I saw that they were meeting at a local Tavern
(The Tannersville Inn) and I decided to go. I arrived 10 minutes
early and spoke with the Hostess who informed me that it is a very
"informal" meeting and no one had showed up. She stated I should walk
around and see if I see someone. (What do Mothers of Multiples look
like?!) The restaurant was smoke filled and uninviting. I decided to
wait in my car. I waited until 8:15PM and went back into the
restaurant and still no MOMS were there.

Like all mothers of multiples, my time is precious. I am exclusively
breastfeeding so I had a short window span to attend and I am highly
disappointed in the caliber of the meeting location and lack of
information. It is very simple to put up a web page. One of my goals
in joining was to offer my skills and donate a fully designed website
for informational purposes. I had also wanted to offer several other
suggestions to make the club more inviting and unfortunately I was
left to wait. I could not imagine a pregnant woman showing up for a
meeting in a smoke-filled room! This is not how a club should be run,
especially a club designed for Moms who are already in such a
vulnerable position to begin with.

I left the area to give birth and in the hospital I was greeted with
an information packet from a different Mothers of Multiples. I was
given phone numbers, a web address and pamphlets about having twins.
You can imagine my disappointment when I came home to discover how the
local MOMS is run. The local hospital said, "What?!" when I asked about information.

I am thinking of starting my own MOMS group, for mothers of multiples
that can not reach or are uncomfortable with the existing group. Anyone start their own chapter?

 

have
been trying to contact my local chapter since July. I found a phone
number and email address but messages were not returned. I had given
up on receiving contact and decided I would just show up at a meeting.

In the local newspaper I saw that they were meeting at a local Tavern
(The Tannersville Inn) and I decided to go. I arrived 10 minutes
early and spoke with the Hostess who informed me that it is a very
"informal" meeting and no one had showed up. She stated I should walk
around and see if I see someone. (What do Mothers of Multiples look
like?!) The restaurant was smoke filled and uninviting. I decided to
wait in my car. I waited until 8:15PM and went back into the
restaurant and still no MOMS were there.

Like all mothers of multiples, my time is precious. I am exclusively
breastfeeding so I had a short window span to attend and I am highly
disappointed in the caliber of the meeting location and lack of
information. It is very simple to put up a web page. One of my goals
in joining was to offer my skills and donate a fully designed website
for informational purposes. I had also wanted to offer several other
suggestions to make the club more inviting and unfortunately I was
left to wait. I could not imagine a pregnant woman showing up for a
meeting in a smoke-filled room! This is not how a club should be run,
especially a club designed for Moms who are already in such a
vulnerable position to begin with.

I left the area to give birth and in the hospital I was greeted with
an information packet from a different Mothers of Multiples. I was
given phone numbers, a web address and pamphlets about having twins.
You can imagine my disappointment when I came home to discover how the
local MOMS is run. The local hospital said, "What?!" when I asked about information.

I am thinking of starting my own MOMS group, for mothers of multiples
that can not reach or are uncomfortable with the existing group. Anyone start their own chapter?

 

I also was disappointed by the Multiples group that is actually closest to where I live. I drove out to the location and meeting time that was posted on their website, but no one esle showed up!

I ended up joining a very active Multiples group, but I have to drive a bit farther for the meetings and events, but it is totally worth it. Is there another group in your area that you could join?

Otherwise, I applaud your effort to start another group! Good for you!

Maybe connecting with the local Prenatal specialist in your area might be a good place to recruit new memebers...women who are currently pregnant with multiples.

 

Erykah! I think YOU SHOULD start your own chapter!!!! WHY NOT!?! Sorry they are so lame!!

 

Hello Eryka,
Try Meetup.com
if I can advertise for another website, I don't know if this is legal or not, (if not, please forgive me)
But I know they have local groups that you can start and manage. Unfortunately if your town isn't very big, then you might run into the same problem that the already chapter is having....no one shows up. Good luck. It's always nice to have support and meet with other moms who knows exactly what you're going through and been through. I hope you find some way to be successful at this.

 

The one in my area has lots of MOMs (in the 100 range) but no activites on the calendar.
I plan on trying to go to the monthly meeting and see how it works. I am sure other MOMs want to get to know each other!
I have e-mailed some chair people but have not heard back. Strange.

 

I contacted the www.nomotc.org and she suggested I attend the group farther away to see what running a twin/multiples group entails. Then start my own. My plans are I will have to drive the 40 minutes once a month for a couple of months and then attempt my own group. I liked the idea of meetups but I'll advertise that way and maybe start an unofficial group until I fihure everything out. You ladies are amazing, thanks for the tips!

 

I'm also disappointed in my local MOMs group. I went to one meeting -- last Valentine's Day -- and was sorely disappointed. I gave up the last childless v day my hubbie and I would ever have to hear a bunch of women talking about their big suburban houses and gardens. No one even mentioned their kids, except to complain about them. When I tried to join in the conversation by saying that I live in a townhouse and could anyone recommend some kid-safe houseplants, they laughed at me. Sorry, not all MOMs are rich stay-at-home moms like these ladies are. (Not that all SAHMs are rich. But these ladies were.)

Maybe I just picked a bad meeting to go to. But it left a sour taste in my mouth and I haven't been back. A look at the agenda for future meetings made it clear that this was a social club, not a mom support group.

Erykah, go ahead and start your own club. If we live nearby, I'll join up!!! It's outrageous to think that any responsible MOM organizer would hold meetings in a smoke-filled restaurant.

 

Ugh, I just have to say, what a crappy experience!

I haven't made an attempt to join my local chapter yet, as they seem to be geared solely to twins at the "playdate" age. Even once mine are old enough for playdates, they'll be in daycare, so I don't know how out of my way I'll go to make a playdate, KWIM?

I wish my local chapter had more outreach/programs geared for pregnant moms; I could have used the support! Good thing there's TS!

 

Oh you should start one!


My local one is GREAT! They brought meals when the girls were born...so sweet.

They meet once a month for MOMs part social hour/ part business (organizing cltohign sales, trips, events etc) each time.

It is a wonderful support group and has pregnant ladies to middle school moms.

I hope you start your own and make it a positive experience! Let Prei's offices know...that is how I found mine!

KC

 

Stroudsburg's not too far from where I am (well, compared to Colorado or Michigan...)

I used to live in Philadelphia and when the girls were born I had a lot of trouble finding a club. We weren't sure where we were moving to so I ended up checking out 4 different clubs in the different areas we were considering. I couldn't believe how much each clubs' operation differed. I love the club where we moved to. The PA state convention is coming up. You might want to go to it so you can meet people from other clubs in the area. There's info at: http://www.mainlinemoms.com/Events/convention/index.html

Definately consider starting one. I couldn't have survived the first year without it. But, also keep in mind that the people who run these clubs are volunteers with twins (or more) of their own. I find myself thinking this over and over whenever I'm frustrated with how the club I'm in is run.

 

I haven't been to my local MOMs group. I have a friend who is a mom of twins that is a member and she invited me but she is a negative person and one of those know-it-all types. When I found out I was pregnant with twins I talked to her once and decided not to try the group. I didn't want to hear any negativity while I was pregnant.

Anyway, all that to say.....I'm a member of MOPS and I really enjoy it. There are three other twin moms in my group of about 50 and it is great! One thing I like about it is that we aren't all talking about the "twin" thing all the time. Two of the twin moms are good friends and if I have a twin question or need some empathy I can always call them. Oh, btw, MOPS is Mothers of Preschoolers. You can Google it to find a group in your area if you are interested. And you can PM me if you have questions about what we do or anything.

Sorry if this is too long! Hope you find a group soon!

 

Sara,

So there is nothing in the A2 area? I delivered my boys at St. Joe's on 11/27/06. I was hoping to find a local group... there are SO MANY people with twins in the Ann Arbor area... I'm really surprised there is nothing around here.

Catherine