Moms connect via MOPS

By Cherry Sokoloski
North Forty News

For a mother of small children, an adult conversation can be as rare as rain in August. Enter Mothers of Preschoolers, an international organization dedicated to giving moms a break from Care Bears and an opportunity to care for themselves.

With MOPS, says organizer Brenda Rhodes, "you can get re-energized and focus on you."

She is the coordinator of a new MOPS group in Fort Collins, one designed to serve moms in the north part of the city and the communities beyond. The group will meet the first and third Monday of each month, from 9 to 11:30 a.m., with the first meeting scheduled for Sept. 20. Mothers with preschool children, newborn to age 6, are welcome. Sponsor for the new group is First Presbyterian Church, where Rhodes is a member.

"Mothers in our church realized there wasn't a MOPS group in north Fort Collins," she said, while the church saw a good opportunity to reach out to families in the community. The organization is Christian-based, but all mothers are welcome regardless of whether they are involved with a church.

MOPS meets the needs of women in several ways, Rhodes noted. It's a support system that celebrates motherhood, helping women realize they are valuable and aren't alone in dealing with normal parenting challenges. "You know you're not the only one who loses her temper or has trouble potty training your child," Rhodes said.

All meetings include a guest speaker and discussion. This year's topics range from friendships among women to keeping one's dreams alive, from avoiding power struggles with children to teaching character development. "We focus on what moms need as individuals as well as parenting techniques," Rhodes commented.

For Rhodes, heading up the new MOPS group is meeting her personal need for friendship. She moved to Fort Collins recently as a young widow and the mother of a 2-year-old, and she missed the interactions with other adults that she had enjoyed in her corporate life. Now, as part of First Presbyterian's steering committee, she has made meaningful new connections with other women.

Gina McIntosh, a mother of five in Wellington, has a long history with MOPS and is a firm believer in the program. "My passion is for women with preschool children who desperately need companionship and support, a place to laugh and have fun," she said.

Her oldest child had serious health issues and was later killed in an accident, and her friends at MOPS proved invaluable. "That group of women was my lifeline," she said. McIntosh is now the MOPS coordinator at Faith Evangelical Free Church, one of six Fort Collins locations, and she often provides support for mothers with special challenges.

One of the local groups, Teen Mothers of Preschoolers, is a support group for pregnant teens, teen mothers and their children. This group has been active in the community for seven years, and they will kick off the fall season with a picnic on Sept. 7. For more information about Teen MOPS, call 215-7480.

MOPS meetings include a simple brunch, brought by the members, and a creative activity such as a craft. "Moms have a very hard time ever accomplishing something," Rhodes said, so projects that can actually be finished are very satisfying. Equally important, the MOPS mothers get a welcome break from a demanding, 24-7 job.

While the mothers meet, children are cared for in a program called Moppets, where they play and also learn about Bible heroes. Childcare providers are carefully screened, and there is always at least one who is certified in CPR.

Each MOPS group is sponsored by a church that provides financial support and free use of space. In addition to First Presbyterian, the local groups meet at Timberline, Faith Evangelical Free, First Baptist, Summitview Community and Dayspring Christian churches. The Summitview group meets in the evening to accommodate moms who work outside the home, while the Dayspring group is especially for teen mothers and is free. Each of the other churches sets its own fees; at First Presbyterian, the $7-per-meeting fee includes childcare.

MOPS originated in Wheat Ridge in 1973, and the organization has spread across the United States and into 19 other countries. For more information about the new MOPS group in Fort Collins, contact Rhodes at 223-4999 or mops@firstpresfc.org.

Information about MOPS International can be found on its web site at www.mops.org.