Poly Moms Find Community Through Support Group

In the fall of 2019, Upper School English Teacher Serra Leroy designed one of her Folio goals around the following question: 
 
"How can I meaningfully connect with other new faculty/staff moms in our broader K-12 school community?" 
 
She had just had a baby in April and appreciated going to a new moms’ group in Pasadena. “I realized how much I wanted to continue that type of connection with people that I work with,” she said.
 
What came of the goal has been a Poly Moms Support Group that communicates via Whatsapp and in-person events across all divisions, including faculty and staff. It has been a way to get to know the community better and a good way for new moms to maintain a “sense of sanity through having similar questions.”
 
What started with about five group members has blossomed to include more than 10 new moms. The group has also existed throughout the pandemic when the burdens of childcare were at the most taxing for parents everywhere. On some occasions in 2020, Friday nights for the group became a virtual happy hour with “happy tears” while swapping WhatsApp stories of trying to keep it all together.
 
“The group was helpful during the pandemic because I wasn’t seeing anyone in person and the group made it feel less isolating,” said Lower School Coordinator Jackie Clark. “As a first-time mom, you can read all these books and articles online, but they only confuse you. That’s why it’s been so great to have a good group of friends because I knew I wasn’t alone.”
 
For the group, any aspect of motherhood is on the table for discussion. Even though most of their conversations are still “virtual,” the group maintains the space as a judgment-free zone where things that might appear scary or embarrassing are met with understanding.

“One thing that has been nice is that there have been different moments when each of us has exposed something super overwhelming,” said Serra. “We now have a group of people who would totally get it and say, ‘Here are other ways to look at this.’ It is good to put the stressful thoughts out there and let them go.”

The shared experience of the group is a reminder that the pandemic is not over for those with children who cannot be vaccinated. 

“So many people forget that if you have children under 12, they still can’t get vaccinated,” said Rachel Dunham, Upper School science instructor. “You’re terrified as a parent because you can’t risk bringing breakthrough infections to your child. We make risk management decisions every hour of every day.”
 
The group agrees that what started as an experiment has become a truly worthwhile Folio goal.
 
“It has been a safe space to be vulnerable in a year that was really traumatizing and made me feel not judged during moments of difficulty,” said Laura Gershenhorn, Middle School English teacher.
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