Comments Please

So there have been about 100 visits to this blog so far, yet there are zero comments!  Please let me know what you think of this visionary project.  I can not do this without you!  I need your input please.  Also, I need folks to help make this  dream into a reality.  Please contact me if that's you.

Thank you kindly,

Val

Please Spread the Love and Support this Blog!

Yeah!  Thanks to the Apple Wrangler (see my links) my blog views have doubled since yesterday!  Even though this is a Boulder based project, there should be similar projects throughout the country, continent, world.  Please spread the word.  Once I gain some momentum, experience, and wisdom with the Boulder based project (and from the Boston based project), I would love to help this spread like wildfire!

Also, please keep coming back!  I will be posting articles, insight, and tips related to single mamahood, mama community, and nourishing our mamaselves.  A little bit about mwa...I am a single mama of a 20 month old boy (Sage), and I would love for our story, our life to be of inspiration to other single mamas, so I will be sharing my heart on this blog as well.  The beginning of my mamahood journey was traumatic, yet in the enfolding of the past two years I transformed from living primarily in the depths of despair and pain to living more fully in my heart, feeling connected to my spirit and to my son.  If I can flourish and thrive, make the time to nourish myself and form community, be present and loving for my son, and accept and love all my imperfections as a single mama, any mama can!  All my experiences have overflowed the ocean of my being with so much compassion for other mamas and for the world.  (My story to be continued...)

More mamalove headed your way,
Val

Single Mama (re)Defined

Hello Mamas and Mama Fans,

So this rainy day has led me to some deep contemplation about the definition of single motherhood.  Who is considered a single mama?  Who should receive the "gifts" of this project?

Well, here is what I came up with...

Any mama who feels they carry the bulk of the responsibility of raising and caring for their children.  Any mama who feels they are not receiving all of the support they need from their children's fathers or their partner.

Sadly, this will include many mamas who share custody with the father/partner or are even living with the father/partner.  And it may even include single fathers, grandmothers, the eldest child, or other caretakers - there are many types of families nowadays. Of course, this project is more geared towards single mamas who are all on their own, but I understand that many mamas with partners are also not receiving the support they need and may at times feel like a single mama.  (Although, I want to emphasize the importance of all Mothering the Mother participants sensitivity to the mamas without dadas.  Basically, this it is not the place for complaints or discussion about your husband/partner for this can really ostracize single mamas, and this is the number one reason why single mamas feel disconnected from other mother/parenting groups.)

To sum it up, I would love to use the honor system for our free gifts.  If you feel as though you are a single mama most of the time then please benefit from these upcoming projects.  If you are a mama that feels very supported by the father or your partner then please spread the love and provide support for other mamas by volunteering for Mothering the Mother!  By serving other mothers, you are serving yourself.  If you look at it in this light, Mothering the Mother is a gift for all mamas.

From my ever expanding, gigantic mama's heart to yours,
Val

Update...

Free Yoga for Single Mamas

I am waiting to hear back about possible funding to get this project rolling.  In the mean time I want to network, network, network.  Please share this blog on Facebook to get the word out, and then also spread the word the old fashioned way - face to face.  My goal is to have at least one free yoga class per week in Boulder with coordinating childcare/children's yoga by the New Year.

Family Grub Night

Because it is so much easier to cook for a family instead of for just two.  Because sometimes a mama wants to eat delicious food (that her kids don't want to eat).  Because even with her lovely children, it can still be a lonely table for a single mama.  Because it is challenging to prepare a healthy, homemade meal every night of the week.  Because food tastes better with good company.  Because sharing a meal builds community.

I am digging this model... We take turns meeting at one another's homes once a week to share a meal.  The hostess of the week prepares the main meal, something simple, healthy, natural, yummy, and if possible low allergen (gluten and dairy free).  Examples of simple one or two pot meals... soup, curry, crock pot/dutch oven meal, etc... .  Then another mama brings a salad, another mama brings the dessert, another mama brings a dish for the picky eaters (example; mac n' cheese, pizza, etc..), two other mamas clean, and the rest of the mamas have the night off.  These tasks are rotated every week allowing for the mamas to take turns and have a night free of dinner duty at least once a month.  But the goal is to make this dinner easy and fun for every one.   We could even make a simple dessert together involving the kids or have theme dinners - lets get creative!   As the dinner group grows, we find a larger kitchen to use (such as at a church), and we have a rotating working and non-working group.   What do you think?

Goal - Have one trial dinner by the New Year.  Just one - its possible!

Mama Creativity Time (better name, anyone, please?)

Single mamas get together  twice a month to work on their creative endeavors.  The first meeting per month will be a workshop with guest artists and creative folks leading us in our creative process.  The second meeting will be to work on our own creative endeavors and/or share them with a supportive group of single mamas.  Example:  crafty things, knitting, gifts, toys, collages, poetry, paintings, a food project, etc...anything that sparks your creative fire and makes you feel alive!  The point of meeting in a group is to be able to focus on your creativity and get inspired.  Free childcare will be provided, although   until we build our momentum mamas may have to take turns with the childcare.

Goal - One Mama Creative Time by the New Year.  This will happen!

Additional Upcoming Plans

- a website - by the New Year

- an informational, outreach flier - within the next month

- a meeting with volunteers or those who want to form a collective to organize all of these projects - within the next month

Oh yeah, I am hoping to form a collective of folks (not just single mamas, really anyone who wants to serve single mamas) who want to turn Mothering the Mother, Nourishment and Community for Single Mamas in Boulder from a vision into reality.

Let's make this all happen!  Please contact me a.s.a.p if you want to help in any way or want to join any of these projects.  Thank you.

From my forever growing, big mama heart to yours,

Val

Being a full-time mother is one of the highest salaried jobs... since the payment is pure love.
- Mildred B. Vermont

Your body as a musical instrument...

Think of your body as a musical instrument, a wind instrument. Your breath, accordingly, is the wind through the instrument. As such, it is the single most important aspect of yoga technique. Traditionally considered the primary carrier of prana – life force – your breathing originates deep inside you, radiates outward and then inward, providing a gentle and steady rhythm for movement, stretch and release.— Erich Schiffman