The "Ultimate" Mom: Utilizing Your Community

Chapter 4: How To Utilize Your Community To Raise Your Child Well

This chapter really focused on 2 things. First, Mom's community, and second, expanding your children's sense of community...

It really emphasized on the need that Mom's need for adult companionship, a support system, and the freedom that can come from allowing others to pitch in and help. It talked a lot about how to be a good friend (I'm not really going to get into this, but if you need help, you can always buy the book). It also talked about surrounding yourself with the right kind of people. In this, they provided an exercise to do. You can find it below with directions.

There are millions of people to choose from in this world. Who we associate with can make our days, weeks, months, and years extraordinary or painfully ordinary.

It also talks about expanding your community and sense of self worth with your kids. The book recommends volunteering at shelters, visiting nursing homes, and helping a neighbor/friend. By doing this, you can offer help to others, as well as increase your own self-esteem. A good lesson for children in how to accept others, help people who need it, and feel good about themselves while doing something worth while in the community.

Chapter Tips:

1. Three ways to be an amazing and likable woman is to show interest in others, to share what is in our own heart and to smile often.
2. True "Gems of Friends" are the ones who know how to celebrate our successes in style and dare appreciative when we do the same!
3. Modeling for your child how to be kind, to do for others and to be compassionate is what will nurture their true self-esteem - "people-esteem".

Taking Action:

• Choose one person that you want to spend more time with. Call them up today and make plans to see them sometime in the next month.
• Talk to your children about volunteering. Research and brainstorm possible opportunities for you to contribute as a family.
• If you created your own "Mom Network": which women would you want in your group? What would they be like and how would you help one another? Contact a woman today whom you would like in your group to share your ideas with. Write down the names of women you would like to contact to make it easier.

This week's taking action is going to prove a bit challenging. With a new baby at home, and Dad not home much on the weekend to help, finding a place we can volunteer may be tough in this small community of ours. I will have to do some brain-storming. I will also have fun creating my "Mom Network" though some of my Moms may be long-distance, I still think it is good to have great moms to bounce around ideas with :)

Do you have a network of Moms? What kind of things do you do? How do you stay in touch and help one another? Do you and your children volunteer? What do you help with?

Feel free to post your ideas, experiences and thoughts. It is always good to bounce ideas around :)