#MumsMarchTogether … what’s it all about?
We know how lonely and isolating motherhood can be. That dreaded feeling you get when you’re the new mum at a baby group and you spend the whole time sat on your own and no one says hello. Whole days spent without uttering a single world to another adult. The red hot burning of your cheeks when the toddler is kicking off in the shopping trolley and it feels like every single person in that shop is staring at you, judging you.
Feeling so alone. Struggling mentally. Not enjoying motherhood but feeling like everyone else it totally rocking it and loving every second. The fear of admitting to someone else that you feel like this and being labelled a bad mum.
But we want to change that here at It Takes a Village — because we’re not supposed to do motherhood alone. For the month of March we’re running a new campaign … #MumsMarchTogether
Pledge One
Our first pledge is all about small, simple but potentially HUGE to someone else acts of kindness, one mama to another. Acts that could turn another mamas day round for the better.
Day to day mum-life can be pretty mundane right? The school/nursery run, the food shop, the local playgroup — these are all situations where you might encounter lots of other mums. Mums that you’d usually pass on by with the busyness of your own life. But these are all great opportunities to make a small connection with a mum and make even just a small difference to her day (and in return you’ll feel pretty good too I promise!)
A smile, a kind comment, a text, a cuppa …
You know that mum at school or nursery drop off who you’ve seen a few times now? Or the mum who you often pass when taking the baby for a stroll in the pushchair near where you live. You’ve never spoken to each other before now, but why not…
Giver her a knowing smile.
A simple “hello” or “morning” If you’re feeling a little braver why not start up a conversation “Are you doing the naptime walk too?” “Hi I’m Dani, I’ve seen you around but haven’t had chance to say hi properly yet” If in doubt and stuck for what to say, the good old “how old is this little one?” is always a fail safe conversation opener.
Maybe you see a mum in the supermarket with a tantruming toddler, desperately trying to calm his wails and demands. She’s red faced and most certainly has the mum sweats (is it just me that gets the mum sweats in situations like this?!) and she’s looking positively mortified at the noise and attention her child is drawing to them and horrified that people are probably judging her…
Offer a reassuring smile that says … “we’ve all been there, I totally sympathise”
A kind comment of “It’s usually my two kicking off … are you okay?”
Or offer to help. Distraction with a snack. Offer to stand with her at the checkout so she can reach her purse, navigate the trolley and control the flailing limbs.
Maybe it’s a mum that you’ve exchanged chit chat with for a while now — be brave, take the leap and ask for her number and arrange to have a cuppa together. Or a mum friend who has had THE worst day with the kids — tell her she’s doing an amazing job and arrange a child free glass of wine date. Or perhaps it’s a mum who you know who’s struggling right now with her mental health — she needs you more than anyone; to tell her she’s not alone, she’s not a bad mother and you’ve got her back.
We’re urging you mamas … be that mum. Be the difference. Be the change. Be the one that turns that mamas day around for the better.
And we’ll be here cheering you on. Sharing ideas and success stories, encouraging you to make the first move. After all your a mum, and we all know mums have superpowers right?
It starts with you mama
We would LOVE you to reach out to another mum and let us know how you get on. Or perhaps you’ve been on the receiving end of an act of kindness from another mum? Please share your experience, no matter how small and tell us all about it using the #MumsMarchTogether
You can find us here:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/TakesA_Village
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ItTakesaVillageCambs/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/it_takesa_village/
