When I found out I was pregnant, I knew my career would be coming to a halt once baby arrived. My husband and I both decided I should stay home and raise our son — rather than having him attend daycare so we could both continue working.
After considering the rising cost of daycare and what little money I would bring home after paying someone else to raise my kid, the sum would never be worth the time lost away from him while trying to make a living. So I put my career on hold and left to have a baby — unsure of when I would ever return.
I am now 20 months into being a full time, stay-at-home mom with no immediate family within a 2 hour drive from where we live.
Needless to say, it’s very difficult to get a break from my son — since we don’t have a family member I can call to watch him for an afternoon, an overnight, an hour, or even a minute.
I’ve made some other mom friends whom I would trust to leave my son with, but getting busy lives to coincide with a last-minute need is somewhat challenging.
With preschool still off in the distant future, I knew that I needed a solution — I was in desperate need of a mom day!
Fortunately, I’ve discovered some helpful resources to get both my son and I a break from “just us” once in awhile. I thought I’d share in case you’re a busy mom looking to give yourself a break, as well.
Here are 10 ways to enjoy a well-deserved mom day while socializing your toddler at the same time…
Need A Mom Day?…
If you find yourself feeling like an isolated stay-at-home mom, here are my suggestions:
#1 – Seek out other moms in your neighborhood.
You can usually spot them by the sound of kids playing or evidence of toys in the yard.
In most cases, you will need to make the effort to introduce yourself. (I’ve had to.) From there, hopefully you can exchange numbers and/or try a play date to see if you and the kids click.
My son and I have had the best impromptu play dates from a simple text inviting a mom and her kids out to play.
Valuable friendships can be developed — which are not only genuine but super-convenient, because of your close proximity to each other.
#2 – Find a church with a nursery or Sunday school.
The bigger churches tend to offer age-appropriate classes for your child, with faith-based teachings.
My son and I have attended a few different ones, as we are still trying to find our home church. But I love the fact they will watch my son — so I can attend the service. Not only does this give my son a chance to interact with other kids and other adults besides me, it also gives me a chance to be child-free to enjoy the service and interact with other adults.
Most churches have a Vacation Bible School in the summer — for all ages. This could be another opportunity for some free time for you and some play time for your child.
#3 – Find a mom’s day out program nearby.
I found ours with a simple Google search. I just did a search for “parent’s day out near me”.
Mom’s day out programs and costs will vary. My son attends our local mom’s day out program 1 day a week for 6 hours.
To a MaMa who has never spent any more than a few hours away from her baby, this is a huge victory to have some scheduled time to myself. It’s a faith-based program too — which was super important to my husband and I.
The best part: my son seems to enjoy the structure and interaction with others.
Here are some tips for choosing a mom’s day out program.
#4 – Seek out local mom groups on Facebook.
It is surprisingly easy to meet other moms who want the same thing (to find other kids to play with their kids) or who share the same hobbies as you.
However, having your schedules line up so that you can actually connect may be a different story. I’ve found that all you can do is keep making the effort to get together for a mom day — because it’s always worth it when it finally does come together!
My son and I enjoy hiking together with other like-minded moms and their kiddos whenever the opportunity arises.
#5 – Check your local library for kids events.
Our local library has a weekly story hour which my son absolutely loves!
This is yet another opportunity to meet other moms while the kiddos play in a controlled setting — it’s the perfect mom day out.
#6 – Find a gymnastics club/gym.
We have several gyms near us to choose from — which means a variety of classes and open gym days.
My son likes the open gym day because he can climb, jump, and run to his heart’s desire on all of the fun equipment! And I like it because it’s a great way to meet other moms while the kiddos interact with each other in a somewhat controlled setting.
I’m considering enrolling my son in one of the weekly gym classes for kids. I feel that he could really benefit from a structured gymnastics class with kids his age. At the very least, maybe he can learn how to safely tumble and land.
#7 – Visit the play area at a local mall.
Our mall has a great play area!
It’s a perfect place to play on a rainy day to get out of the house.
And you never know who you’ll meet when you’re there.
#8 – Search for kid-friendly Facebook events in your area and schedule them in your calendar.
Every event is a chance to get out & about in the community and an excellent opportunity for socializing.
#9 – Check out Macaroni Kid events.
They provide a list of fun family events happening in your local area — throughout the U.S. and Canada.
Each one has the potential to become the perfect mom day!
You can also filter events by age, date, or category to refine your search.
#10 – Visit a local park or splash pad.
When you go to a local park or splash pad, you will more than likely find other kids for your child to play with — with zero commitment.
You may even meet some other moms.
My son always has a great time at our local splash pad — because he absolutely loves the water!
The Bottom Line…
As a first time mom, I realize how important my role in society is with my son watching every move I make. He’s looking to me for guidance on how to be social with every single thing we do together.
I can only imagine that my son will benefit from being exposed to all these extra experiences and people outside of our daily home life.
My son needs to figure out who he is and how he fits into this world, and it’s up to me to help him get enough opportunities to do so.
I feel that we both need the exposure to social activities with other parents and their kids — so I can also watch and learn how other parents parent.
I’ll be the first to admit… stay-at-home moms need just as much socialization as our kids do! I hope you are inspired to check out all of the local resources available to you and get more social with your child.
Happy socializing!…
Meetups For Stay-At-Home Moms With Toddlers
- Stay At Home Moms group
- Mom Meetup groups
- Playdates Meetup groups
- Toddler Meetup groups
- Mommy And Me Meetup groups
I’m a new mom. I work from home and I write — mostly about my outdoor adventures, DIY projects, newly discovered products, and helpful tips as a first-time mom. I also like to share details about the alternative choices I’m exploring as I enjoy this journey called motherhood. My family includes a toddler, 2 stepchildren, 1 dog, 1 cat, and a wonderful husband. My pre-pregnancy life was full of freedom and adventure, so I have a fresh new perspective when it comes to walking away from a career to become a full time stay-at-home Mama.
