KIDPOWER
08-21-2008, 12:14 PM
Good Morning, UofMom Members,
One of the wonderful things that UofMom does is to create a community for mothers (and fathers) to share their worries, give each other support, and share ideas. Being in community helps overcome isolation and helps to give us perspective.
Human beings are social animals and most of us are healthiest and happiest when we are in community with others, feeling that we belong and are cherished. Being in positive caring communities helps children to be emotionally safe. Online resources are wonderful, but we also need healthy communities where we are physically together with others, having fun.
Recently, I have had the chance to see how important community is for even for babies, by going to a wonderful group called Mother Song, where mothers (along with a couple of grandparents and dads) and babies and toddlers up to age 3, along with any older siblings, have the opportunity to sing songs together. The leader, Joya, sells books and CDs so people can set up Mother Song groups in their own communities: http://www.mothersong.org/
Mother Song groups are chaotic and joyful, with everyone's voices joined together in songs that focus on support, self-care, self-esteem, and cherishing one's role as a mother and one's experiences as a child. Even very young babies will listen and look at everyone singing the same songs, with great interest. They will ask with their bodies to be bounced even if they can't walk. They will shake the shakers or or dance or even sing along without words or tune, but just to be joining in.
The concept of creating community for families is not new - people do it through their places of worship, schools, and youth groups. Unfortunately, too often many of us will feel we are too busy or have had a bad experience somewhere. Instead of seeking and creating communities for our children that we are also part of, we will isolate ourselves and our families, getting through the days on our own or in limited interactions with others for specific goal-oriented purposes, rather than having regular times of sharing in community with our children and ourselves for play and for fun.
I'd love to know your ideas about seeking and creating communities for your families.
With you all in spirit if not in body,
Irene
One of the wonderful things that UofMom does is to create a community for mothers (and fathers) to share their worries, give each other support, and share ideas. Being in community helps overcome isolation and helps to give us perspective.
Human beings are social animals and most of us are healthiest and happiest when we are in community with others, feeling that we belong and are cherished. Being in positive caring communities helps children to be emotionally safe. Online resources are wonderful, but we also need healthy communities where we are physically together with others, having fun.
Recently, I have had the chance to see how important community is for even for babies, by going to a wonderful group called Mother Song, where mothers (along with a couple of grandparents and dads) and babies and toddlers up to age 3, along with any older siblings, have the opportunity to sing songs together. The leader, Joya, sells books and CDs so people can set up Mother Song groups in their own communities: http://www.mothersong.org/
Mother Song groups are chaotic and joyful, with everyone's voices joined together in songs that focus on support, self-care, self-esteem, and cherishing one's role as a mother and one's experiences as a child. Even very young babies will listen and look at everyone singing the same songs, with great interest. They will ask with their bodies to be bounced even if they can't walk. They will shake the shakers or or dance or even sing along without words or tune, but just to be joining in.
The concept of creating community for families is not new - people do it through their places of worship, schools, and youth groups. Unfortunately, too often many of us will feel we are too busy or have had a bad experience somewhere. Instead of seeking and creating communities for our children that we are also part of, we will isolate ourselves and our families, getting through the days on our own or in limited interactions with others for specific goal-oriented purposes, rather than having regular times of sharing in community with our children and ourselves for play and for fun.
I'd love to know your ideas about seeking and creating communities for your families.
With you all in spirit if not in body,
Irene