“The Village” offers a space for moms to come together and share the load of motherhood.
We’ve all heard the phrase, “It takes a child to raise a child.” While that saying is true, not every mom has a village and often carry the load of motherhood alone.
It’s where the idea of creating a group just for moms came from. YWCA Quad Cities’ Empowerment Center has started “The Village,” a group where moms can come together, connect, and share the joys and challenges of motherhood.
Local moms will meet once a month, where a different topic will be discussed, all related to motherhood. Each session will provide opportunities to share information and community resources with other mothers, listen to speakers, ask questions, get advice, and help build your “village” of local mothers with children of all ages.
The first session, “The Burden She Carries, a Dive into the Mental Load of Motherhood” covered just that, the mental load moms carry.
The first group consisted of a diverse group of moms who shared the mental load they face every day. They expressed the need for more support.
Allison Mahlo, a mom and also a mental health professional who provides counseling to parents, talked about taking the time to find little things that make you happy in that moment. As well as the importance of self-care. The group talked about different stressors and some healthy ways to cope.
There were also some community resources shared.
Ultimately, the goal of The Village is to provide a safe space to vent, share experiences, and receive encouragement during tough times. Having a supportive community can make a world of difference and help lighten the emotional and mental load, making motherhood feel less lonely.
Session 1 will be offered again on Thursday, March 27th at 5:00 pm at the Iowa Empowerment Center (1115 Mississippi Ave, Davenport).
The next meeting will be on April 22 and 24 and will focus on food sustainability. More information will be released closer to the date.
