Like a castaway on a deserted island, motherhood can be a lonely thing. Especially when you’re a stay at home mom, or in my case, a slay at home mom. We can often find ourselves, home with the kids or home in front of our laptops working away. We voluntarily take on the weight of the world and neglect to reach out to others, for help, or even just to socialize.

Mama, I am here to remind you, you are not an island. You don’t have to do this alone. Howevah, if you don’t want to do it alone, you have to take the first step.

 

Ask for help

When you need support, ask for it. Closed mouths don’t get fed. When others see you working away, balancing the soccer practices, serving on the committees, showing up (more or less) on time for church, and smiling on the ‘gram, people assume everything is fine. Even when it’s not. So when it’s not fine, you have to reach out. Ask for help.

Arrange a kid-swap with your kid’s BFF. You send your kiddo over there for the day, and on another day, return the favor. Reach out to family members who could give a helping hand. Make arrangements to pay a local teen to watch your kiddos, even while you’re at home taking a few mommy-minutes or running out to get a manicure.

Remember, people are not mind-readers. They are often busy living their own lives and don’t know what is going on in your day-to-day life unless you let them in on the truth. And for the most part, people want to help. Don’t be ashamed to ask for the help that you so desperately need. We all need it from time to time. Trust me!

Offer help when you can

As a mom, it’s sometimes a little easier to spot when another mom could use a helping hand. Have you ever been at a store or in an airport and saw a fellow mom struggling to wrangle her kids? Have you even looked at her in understanding sympathy, knowing that you too have been in that same position before? Have you also looked around and seen the sneers of others who just don’t get it? Do you ever reach out to offer help?

If you can, I encourage you to do so. Go beyond the sympathetic smile. Distract the kid with a game of peek-a-boo, offer to hold the mom’s bags or rock the stroller while she looks for her boarding passes. Maybe even offer to buy her a cup of coffee or hold her bulky things while she goes into the restroom to change her baby’s diaper.

There are little ways you can help each and every day and if you are able, I encourage you to do so. I know I do when I can, and it feels so good!

Find your tribe

Having like-minded women in your corner is an important element in making your parenting journey smooth(er). Finding a tribe of momma-friends who simply ‘get it’ will go a long way towards improving the quality of your life as a momma. This tribe can be found in-person like a book club, church group, or parent’s club. Or, it can be found online, in a Facebook group, or even a mom’s forum where you meet for weekly video mom-chats. There are so many different options!

Having a tribe or community of women to support you, even if it’s simply encouraging words, kind suggestions, or prayer can go a long way towards helping you feel and do your best at this thing we call mothering. That tribe may just be your best and strongest lifeline. Find them, love them, use them.

 

Mama, understand this…you are not an island. You are not in this alone. There are countless others out there just like you, simply keeping their heads above water. You’re not the only one. Also know dear friend, that it doesn’t have to be that way. It takes a village to raise a child. It also takes a village to support a mama. I encourage you to ask for help when you need it, offer it when you can, and know that your tribe is out there, simply waiting for you!

Inside my community, I along with other moms, mom-entrepreneurs, and working moms support one another on this journey we call motherhood. I invite you to join us today! I’ve got you mama, let’s do this together!

–gLm–

 

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