| | | |

5 Ways to Support Other Mothers

NOTE: Giveaway now closed. The winner is Naomi Jones. Naomi, please send you home address, along with what you won, to Sheila at [email protected]

Let’s stay connected!

Sign up to get my blog posts automatically, follow me on InstagramPinterest, or Twitter or “Like” my page on Facebook.

I’m also on Periscope as karenehman and Blab as karen_ehman

d11.30Welcome to you who are joining us by finding your way here from my Proverbs 31 Ministries devotion today called The Great Wall of Motherhood {To read it, click here but be sure to come back for the giveaway!}

As promised in the devotion, here are 5 ways to support other mothers:

5 Ways to Support Other Mothers

Say hello.

We are so busy in our world today that we rarely stop to meet anyone new. Or maybe they are not someone who is new. They could be the woman who sits beside us week after week at dance lessons or on the soccer field sidelines. Smile. Say hello. Make a new friend. Reach out to another mom to begin a connection that could lead to a network of support.

Ask.

Don’t be shy. Ask other mothers about what is going on in their life. What is going well? What struggles are they having? Is there an area of life where they could use a little help? Find out if they might benefit from going to a Bible study with you. Or being part of a cooking group. Or forming a playgroup for toddlers or a support group for mothers of teens. Be nosy. Ask questions. It is the best way to get to know your fellow moms.

Lighten the load.

Once you have made your discoveries, seek to lighten another mother’s load. Are you making lasagna for your family tonight? Make two pans and give one to another mom who is in a particularly hectic season of life. She can use it then or freeze it to use another day. Are you driving into the big city to make a purchase for Christmas at one of the store’s big holiday sales? See if any other of your mom friends need you to pick up something for them. It will save them time and gas money. Do you have a mom friend who needs an uninterrupted afternoon to Christmas shop or write their annual Christmas letter? Offered to take her kids so she can do this distraction free. Maybe she’ll return the favor and then you will get a day off!

Build bridges. Don’t erect fences.

When there are moms who mother differently than you, don’t erect a fence, keeping them out of your life. Build a bridge instead. We all don’t have to mother exactly the same. We can have different methods for discipline, for schooling our children, or for how we feed our kiddos. You only hurt yourself when you prevent friendships from forming because you are not exact replicas of each other. So reach out to a mom this week who approaches her mothering a bit differently from you. Build a beautiful bridge. Don’t erect an ugly fence.

Pray. And let them know you are praying.

And finally, pray. But don’t just tell your friend you will pray for them, ask them what specific requests they have and then make it a point to not only pray, but to text them when you have finished, telling them what you prayed. Or send them a note in the mail with a few handwritten scriptures that you are centering on as you pray for your friend. The power of a praying mama is very effective. Don’t just pray for your children, pray for other mothers who are in the trenches right along with you, attempting to raise their kids effectively.

GIVEAWAY:

hoodwinked_coverIf you would like to be entered to win a copy of my new book Hoodwinked: Ten Myths Moms Believe and Why We All Need to Knock It Off leave a comment here with either which of these ideas you will try this week, another idea you might have to support a fellow mom, or tell us about a time another mother supported you.

One winner will be chosen and announced on Wednesday.

And be sure to stay tuned for details about my 12 Days of Christmas Giveaways coming up soon!

Similar Posts

30 Comments

  1. Lightening the load sounds like a great plan – something I can easily do that I know from experience can be so helpful!!!

  2. This idea of supporting each other is so wonderful! I have an unofficial little group of moms my age at church, we aren’t best friends, we don’t have a ton of play dates for each other, but we are committed to bring there for each other. Its an unsaid thing that we pray for each other, help along each other’s children, bring a meal, etc. Its so great that we have come together to lift each other up bc it has been in my darkest mommy moments that I have called on these ladies, and that I have shown up on their doorstep when they needed it, unasked, too.

  3. I will target in prayer a specific mother who is struggling with her 8 year old daughter. I do make a point of turning to folks when I ask how they are doing, paying attention and responding in love. I am sometimes short on words, but will pray for words from God.

  4. I have a friend that is traditional Jewish but has been asking a lot of questions about my Christian faith. Motherhood is usually our springboard. Thank you for the ideas, especially praying specific acriptures. She will appreciate that.

  5. When i was a young Mom of 3 boys my Aunt who wasn’t able to have children was such a blessing to me. She offered many times to babysit and the boys loved all the attention she gave them. I would love to share this book with my daughter who’s a military wife.

Leave a Reply to Amy Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *