Today on the blog, we are thrilled to share a post from Judi, one of the mothers at our Chelsea II Cohort. Chelsea II has a regular Mothers' Group for Dreamer Mothers to meet and discuss a variety of topics openly and confidentially, with conversations led by Nora, a trained social worker.
What does the IHAD Mothers’ Group mean to me? Or what has it done for me?
Hmmmm, I’d have to say it has kept me from going to jail…
I’m kidding, of course. But, seriously, it has kept me sane and rational in my thoughts and words towards my children. The Mothers’ group is a safe place to vent and discuss our frustration with our children. I think I can speak for all the moms in our group when I say that I appreciate the feedback from other moms going through the same or similar experience we have raising teens in NYC.
Our kids are unique in that they have more freedom than most teens and they are exposed to so much more media than any other city or town. As parents/single moms, we are competing with so many overwhelming distractions in such an imbalanced forum such as social media, films, music, friends, etc. that may challenge the values we try to instill in our children.
So, the challenge of raising kids can be overwhelming for us as well. We are trying to do our best, but sometimes it does not seem like enough. I would cry for feeling like a failure if it was not for the Mothers’ Group. Nora & Co. help me focus on the positives in my life and they listen and offer advice and smile and laugh. And, laughter is the best medicine for my heart that sometimes hurts as a mother.
Thank you Nora & Co. for helping me remember my strength and my value as a person and a mother. :)