Creatrix: Blogging Mamalife, Creativity and the Human Experience

Per our last chat session, I’ve been thinking about what it means for parents to get together. Parents finding community together is important on so many levels. For learning about other perspectives on parenting, or just having someone to relate to – if I tell expectant parents anything it’s this: make sure you’ve got some friends have have kids too, preferably kids who are the same age. Those friends will save your life.

When I was pregnant, I got plugged into the community at HipMama.com, and was immediately hooked. So many moms with so much to share, just when I was on the brink of a major life transition – it was just what I needed.

That wasn’t my first experience participating in online communities – I’ve been working with yahoo groups for a few years now. But there was something about the Hip Mama users was different – maybe because it was a group of people who were able to navigate the internet and website without assistance, or maybe this group were more demographically similar – I don’t know. But it was great.

Now, a little more than a year later, I don’t log on as much as I used to. Every now and again, I lurk around, and sometimes I jump in with a comment or a message. But my needs are constantly changing. Right now, I need more Real, Live Parent action – hanging out with parents, havin’ playdates, creating that space where we can hear the kids, and lend a hand, and share space with another adult. Which is funny, considering all the time I spend online blogging. I love finding online networks and communities, but there’s no denying the very real need to call up my mom friends and say ‘Hey, wanna come over?’ or ‘How about a walk?’ For one thing, it gets me out of the house. I was surprised at how easy it was to spend a week not even thinking about leaving the house when my daughter was younger. Now I think about it, and I find a way to make it happen, because it’s not healthy to stay shut up with a baby. Babies are great, but adults need to stretch out and walk a bit from time to time.

So now we’re looking for more parents to hang out with, which I’m psyched about. I’d like to see what other parents are in the neighborhood and what kind of connections we can make. I’m hoping to meet some more fathers that are cool to hang out with and get to know. I was reading Daddy Dialectic, where they were discussing the potential of the development of Daddy Wars, and the issue was raised that there stay-at-home dads tend to be more isolated in the wider parenting community. I see them occasionally at the park, but the park has such a wierd vibe going on when you’re meeting other parents – it’s like the first day of school, except we’ve all got a really great excuse not to talk each other in our kids. I try to be more outgoing and friendly, but I only have so much energy. Anyway, I’ll step up the friendliness when I’m feeling up to it.

I really hope we can create a functional parents’ action network – a group that kind find tangible, concrete ways to address issues that concern us as parents. Parents are such an untapped resource for action and change. We have to address this somehow if we actually want to see change in our lifetimes. And I think we can all at least agree that something needs to change. Less with the psycho-capitalism, more with the sustainable living.

Anyway, I’m getting tired. Babygirl is teething – she was quite a force to be reckoned with today, very demanding, very stealthy. I think I’ll just chill before I go to bed.

G’night, All!

Atena