Moms Rock!

When I first had Maisie, I thought motherhood was the most isolating experience of my life. In actuality, it's the most social. If you want to meet other people, have a kid.

Truth is, moms - especially stay-at-home moms - can only put up with one-on-one time with their kids for just so long. While parenting is the most challenging activitity on the planet, singing the "ABC Song" over and over day after day is pretty mindless. Cranky, needy kids will also drive you batty. I'm firmly convinced if I stayed inside all day long with my little ones day after day I'd need to be committed. So while we may love our kids with all our hearts, us moms are desperate to get out of the house and interact with others. 

That means there are moms everywhere waiting to make friends. Whether you move into a new neighborhood, a new city or a new country, it's the same. The only thing is that sometimes moms already have friends so they don't need you.

The cool thing about being in a foreign country as a mom is that it's very transient. Moms come and go which means there are always "openings" in the mom circle. Plus, every single mom you meet from another country has had the same experience of being the new girl in town trying to make friends and entertain kids. Maybe that's why people are all the more helpful and accepting here.

(Quick aside: Cheryl is IRONING while I write! While we were gone, she went to the store, mopped, cleaned and did laundry. I'd never have time to update this blog at home because I'd be the one doing all that! Rah!)

Heather invited me to a playgroup organized by the American Women's Association. The group divides moms by ages of kids so Heather invited me along. The only thing is most families have gone to the States for the summer school break and because they're flying so far, they stay for a month or more. The city is pretty much deserted by kids this time of year! Who knew? So while this playgroup usually has ten women, today there were three of us.

Besides Heather and her adorable two-and-a-half-year-old son, Mason, there was another woman named Joy - from Texas - San Angelo, Texas no less which is darn close to Midland as Texas miles go. Joy has a son Andrew close to Mason's age and a five-month-old baby girl named Alexis. I really hope to meet some little girls for Maisie soon.

The playgroups meet different places around town. This time it was at a place called Rocester Park. Inside a Thai-looking building was a giant playroom packed to the gills with toys: slide into a ballpit, dress-up clothes, train sets, cars, hopping balls - you name it. It was exactly what the kids needed. Heck, it was exactly what I needed.

While the kids ran wild, the three of us gals talked about where to go on weekend jaunts, fun local activities and things like where get cheap diapers, a relative term because diapers are really, really expensive here. Joy uses cloth diapers to save money. Hey - want to know something funny? I left the stroller parked on our balcony and there were two diapers inside the basket. The air here is so thick with moisture that the diapers wouldn't fold flat any more! They'd absorbed water out of the air! Holy cow! I'm not sure if that's an advertisement for how Pampers are or how humid it is here.

Joy had to leave, but Heather and I stayed with the kids to have lunch at the little cafe attached which was "filling" as my Grandfather used to say. It was fine, but not great. It was the worst meal I've had here and still pretty tasty.

Heather picked us up in her car which was great because I got to see a lot of town that I hadn't seen. We drove near the Singapore River which is jam-packed with very cool, modern buildings. I'm telling you, this is one, beautiful city! I kept flinching though because the steering wheel here is on the right and people drive on the "wrong side of the road." I kept thinking we were turning into the wrong place or about to be hit by another car. Talk about your bad backseat driver! Ha! Heather, an Idaho native, does a pretty good job navigating the streets.

The thing I most like about women here? It takes a certain kind of person to pick up and move overseas with kids. Many families have done it several times. It's fun to hear their stories and meet adventurous spirits. Living overseas has been on my bucket list my whole life.

Speaking of adventurous spirits, Hudson is trying to climb on the dining table again! Time to go! Plus - are you ready for this? They're coming to fix the curtains in our room! Wahoooo!

The last picture is of Heather and Mason!

Comments

[Harriet]

Just found your blog from FB. This is absolutely wonderful sharing the Hiemstra adventures. Miss you guys!