– by Allison Smith –
It has been said that social media is the downfall of face-to-face communication. In many ways I agree, but not as a new mom! Over the nine months of my daughter’s life, social media, particularly Facebook, has been invaluable: as a way to connect with other moms, as a means to purchase everything baby related and as a resource when looking for childcare.
As my due date approached and the bills for the baby ‘stuff’ rapidly exceeded our budget, a friend mentioned a Facebook group: Sidney Mom’s Buy/Sell/Swap. What a game changer! Why pay $200 for a change table when I could buy one from local moms for less than a quarter of the price? That first purchase led to a diaper genie followed by a rocking chair then a breast pump … all before my daughter was even born! I wouldn’t be able to list all of the things I have acquired through this group – all at a fraction of the cost of buying new. Which, when you think about how quickly children outgrow everything from onesies to Jolly Jumpers, only makes sense. It’s also nice to be able to pay it forward – as Tessa outgrows something I am able to pass it on to another family at the same savings I was able to take advantage of!
I’ve never been the most outgoing person, so when I had my baby, and after I made it through the barely-surviving fog of the first few months, I wondered how I was going to connect with other moms. One day I finally got up the guts to post on the Buy/Sell/Swap group page: something along the lines of “new mom of daughter looking for friends for coffee and playdates.” Another mom quickly messaged me about a group she’d started – Peninsula Playdates – and that led to many new friendships. I am admittedly obsessed with the minutiae of my daughter’s life: happy to chat for hours about the merits – or downfalls – of co-sleeping, the best foods for introducing solids, sleep training, “crying it out” and pretty much everything that comes along with parenthood. And who is the only group happy to listen to me – and chat back – ad nauseam? Other moms, of course!
As I prepare to return to work, finding appropriate childcare is paramount. When I started the process I didn’t know where to begin and it all seemed overwhelming. First I posted in the various parents’ groups – simple questions asking people for their favourite childcare providers in the area – which led both to the Facebook page Childcare in Greater Victoria and to the Victoria Childcare Resource and Referral organization. At time of writing, I don’t have childcare lined up but with these great resources to draw on I’m confident I will find the right ‘fit’ for my daughter soon.
It’s a different world for today’s moms, with Facebook just a drop in the bucket of technology available to us. The downfall of face-to-face communication? Not in my (baby) book!
