5 Ways to Support Other Moms When You’re Barely Managing Yourself

I know, you read the first part of that title and thought, Yeah, I don’t have time or energy to support other moms. I don’t even have time to support myself! But keep reading, friend! Whether you’re a stay-at-home mom, working mom, or somewhere in between, we’ve all felt the loneliness of motherhood. And the best way to combat that loneliness is to support each other!

Mommyhood is hard!

Whether you have young babies or teenagers, motherhood isn’t easy. With everyone going in different directions, it can feel like you’re barely hanging on. But guess what, we’re all in the same boat! And that’s why it’s important to support other moms; we’re all going through the same hard stuff.

We all know the saying, “It takes a village to raise a child.” I didn’t understand that until I became a mom. None of us should have to go at this motherhood thing alone, and the best way to get support is to be supportive yourself.

So here are five easy ways to support other moms.

1. Communicate and stay in touch.

I know I’m not the only one guilty of taking days to respond to text messages. There’s just so much to do, and it slips my mind far too often. But one way to support other moms is to communicate with them and stay in touch.

I’m not saying we need to spend hours on the phone, but if a mom you know is struggling, take a moment to send her a quick text to let her know you’re thinking about her. You never know, that may be the one good thing that happened to her all day.

When you run into another mom friend, do you part ways with the sentence, “Let’s get together soon!” but then never follow through? Support other moms by taking the initiative to schedule time together. Instead of the vague, “Let’s have coffee sometime,” ask when she’s available and get something on the books right then and there.

2. Offer to take her kids for an hour.

I know, this seems like a huge thing, especially when your kids demand so much time and attention themselves. But really, think about how much you’d love an hour to yourself. Your mom-friend feels the same way!

So invite her to drop her littles off at your house so she can go have a cup of coffee alone and think for a brief moment without someone hanging on her leg. Chances are, she’ll be so grateful she will offer to reciprocate the favor.

3. Bring her a meal, even if she doesn’t have a new baby.

Moms of newborns are blessed to receive lots of support through meals when they bring their bundle home. But moms of toddlers, school-age kiddos, and teens will all tell you they’d absolutely love a meal they don’t have to prepare themselves, too.

I’m not saying it has to be a four-course meal, but if you’re throwing something in the slow cooker, try doubling the recipe and take it over to your mom friend. I can guarantee she’ll be eternally grateful!

4. Be honest about your struggles and end the comparison cycle.

As moms, we are the queens of comparisons. We always think so-and-so has it all together, while our kids had cereal for dinner and our living rooms look like a toy factory exploded. But I’ve found when I open up to my mom friends about the things I’m dealing with, it’s so much easier for them to do the same.

When we are honest about the hard parts of motherhood, it allows others to do the same and that comparison cycle is broken right there. So support other moms by sharing the tough stuff and letting them do the same without judgment.

5. Send her an encouraging card in the mail.

I’m the worst at doing this, but I have a friend who’s absolutely amazing at it. Nothing brightens my day quite like receiving a note of encouragement in the mail from a friend. It’s so nice to know she’s thinking about me and my family. So drop a quick note in the mail and let her know she’s on your mind.

And if you’re like me and never have stamps, you can easily print them online at places like USPS and stamps.com. I love this because I don’t have to put on real pants and can just sneak over to the mailbox real quick.

I know you’re busy, mama.

You barely have time to manage your own schedule, let alone worry about someone else’s. But I promise if you make even a small effort to support other moms, it will be worth it. And remember, if we all support each other, motherhood won’t seem so lonely.

Originally posted February 2019.