It takes one to know to know one – Saving your sanity through parenting groups

It’s hard being a parent. There are days when the crying/whining/yelling is enough to drive you to crazy land. And in that moment, when you start threatening your kids with early bedtimes, no dessert, or a Wii-free week, it’s all you can do to not lock yourself in the bathroom and sing “We’re Not Gonna Take It,” at the top of your lungs.

Guess what? You’re not alone.

I don’t know why I’m always surprised to discover that other parents’ kids drive them just as nuts. We love our kids fiercely, but potty training is the devil, temper tantrums are frequent, and problems with sharing (from birth to the teen years!) are par for the course. If I didn’t take the time to connect with other parents, I wouldn’t know how similar my experience is to everyone else’s. And I’ll tell you what, realizing I’m not suffering alone is really, really, really great.

In fact, many mental health professionals endorse the process of building friendships with other parents. I talked to Carla McAuliffe, a licensed professional counselor for Edmond Family Counseling, and she told me parenting groups are helpful because “They can give parents a gauge on what is normal behavior in children and teens.”

So, in an attempt to show you how quickly you can connect with other parents, I’ll even offer some possibilities to help you get started (see links here).

Online – Of course, you must be careful out there in cyberland, but sites like Meetup.com have a variety of groups for every kind of parent, from stroller joggers to uptown shoppers!

Your friendly neighborhood church – Whether it’s Sunday school for parents, an evening Bible study, or a moms-only group, many churches in the area, both large and small, offer opportunities for parents to connect.

Neighborhood facebook, workout classes, workplace lunches, etc. – Sometimes, the best way to meet parents like you is to find ones with similar geography, hobbies, or careers. Often, if you want to form a group of parents who can lean on one another, you have to initiate it. But you’d be surprised at the positive response—I promise.

So go forth and make friends. Yes, I may sound like your mom on your first day of kindergarten, but that’s because she knew what she was talking about.

As C.S. Lewis said, “Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another: ‘What! You too? I thought I was the only one.’”