Holy Holistic Moms!

 The countdown has begun to Bryson starting Kindergarten. Which means in three weeks time I will be back on a normal school schedule and hopefully my sanity will return too. In the meantime blog posts will remain infrequent and I will remain unshowered.

Just a side note...did you know that there are actually moms out there who are sad to have their little ones go off to school?
They don't take kindly to me obnoxiously shouting "Hallelujah's!" and "Get this kid the hell out of my house!" while attending Kindergarten orientation. I might of heard one of them call me an asshole...but I digress.

Really!? Who would miss these shenanigans?

I wasn't even going to write today but last night I had the pleasure of meeting a fabulous new group of women who share in my natural approach to parenting.

The Holistic Moms Network is a non-profit organization that connects parents interested in holistic health and green living. There are local chapters all over the country where members can discuss concerns, share stories and provide resources to parents wanting to pursue a holistic lifestyle.

When I arrived at the meeting I wasn't quite sure what to expect. My over active imagination pictured walking into a dimly-lit room, smelling of sage and incense, occupied by a passionate group of women all breast feeding or baby wearing their vegan kids, adorned in gender neutral organic cotton onesies and Berkenstocks.

I thought they might look at me with my disposable diapers, in my polyester diaper bag and an 8 month old in tow who loves meatballs, like I was clearly in the wrong building.

The reality was not nearly as daunting.

I walked into the awesome maternity boutique Waddle n Swaddle, where the monthly meetings are held. The store is supplied with everything from BumGenius cloth diapers to Baby Bjorn carriers, and even Spanx!

Waddle n Swaddle Store

Instead of being overwhelmed by a holistic uber mom,  I was met with a smile and warm welcome by one of the leaders of the group, Jessica. She was wearing her 7 month old daughter on her back, but there was nothing intimidating about her.

She recognized by the mixture of excitement and hesitation in my eyes that I was a first timer (also, being that you can count every Black person within a twenty mile radius on both hands, it makes easy to remember meeting me in our tiny community).

I was led downstairs where I met a dozen different moms, and even some dads, who were just as lovely..

There were babies of all ages strewn along the space playing with blocks, eating things off the floor, drooling on balls, and squealing with delight. It was just like being home.

Nolan loved all the toys.

This meeting marked the 2nd anniversary of the group and basically was an informal way of getting to know its members. We all sat in a circle and introduced ourselves and our kids. It felt kind of like the first day at a new school, but because we were already bound by a common interest it didn't take long for conversations to spark.

We played an icebreaker game where each of us wrote down a question and then drew one from the bucket. I got "What holistic remedy have you used for an ailment". I briefly described my love of tea tree oil, and how it worked wonders on Nolan when he was congested. Other questions touched upon home schooling, co-sleeping, and the very personal, what is your favorite ice cream flavor. (Mine is cookie dough).

Nolan was determined to get this ball

There was also a super fun drawing for things like free massages, a gift certificate to Waddle n Swaddle, and a free financial planning session. I was lucky enough to win a gift basket of homeopathic remedies from our pediatrician, Dr. Malak.

It was great chatting it up with so many different moms in such a supportive environment. No matter where you find yourself on the parenting spectrum, there is a group out there for you. There might even be one for crazies who wish their children could stay at home forever. See, they were right, I am an asshole sometimes.

Have you ever joined a parenting group?

Finding New Friends in Boyland,