Feature/General
Bringing Moms Together for 25 Years
By Jacki Gaytan
Sept/Oct 2006

As a new mom and new to the Athens area I didn't know anyone or have any family in town. I wanted to meet other moms to network with and to help me get to know the Athens area. One day as I was flipping through an Athens Area Parent magazine I found the answer to my prayers, a web address for the Athens Mothers' Center.

Thanks to a group of women more than 25 years ago, mothers in the Athens area have their very own network to turn to, the Athens Mothers' Center (AMC).

AMC recognizes motherhood as a demanding and important job. It offers women an opportunity to take the stress out of mothering by offering discussion and activity groups, parenting education, social events and information about community resources. My favorite part about AMC is the email listserv where you can post questions about how to travel with your baby or get a recommendation on a good auto mechanic - you will receive all the advice you could ever want.

The philosophy of AMC is to provide a nonjudgmental environment and to respect a mother's choice in her method of parenting. I have found that it is a great place for learning, listening and supporting one another by sharing thoughts, experiences, feelings and "what has worked for me" advice.

AMC is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year. It started back in 1981 by a local mother, Suzanne Hightower, who wanted to find other moms to talk to and have some support when it came to parenting issues like feeding, sleeping, teething, toilet training, etc. At the first meeting there were seven moms and eight children. They started meeting in people's basements and, by word of mouth, the group grew quickly and needed more space to accommodate their growing needs, eventually settling at the current location at St. Gregory's Episcopal Church. Today there are more than 50 members.

Lindsey Shiver has been a longtime member of AMC. She first started going in 1984 with her two boys, Brenton, now 22 years old and Clayton, now 19 years old. In 2001, she found herself back at AMC with her son, Cutler.

"The first time I came to AMC was in 1984. What it did for me was it gave both my kids and me friends. It provided a social outlet for the kids and me. These are the same reasons I started going back with Cutler, to be with other moms with small kids, to have a support group and to find friends for Cutler," says Shiver. "I love getting different ideas from other moms on what has worked for them having dealt with the same issues."

According to Shiver, not too much has changed over the last 25 years. "As long as you have moms and dads that stay at home with their kids, you'll always have a need for a support group like AMC," says Shiver. "It really speaks to the need for an organization like AMC that it is still going after 25 years."

AMC is a place for moms and dads to get together to talk about parenting issues and to support one another. There are a variety of groups to choose from like the new moms group, toddler playgroup, scrapbooking, coffee talk, knitting, music for kids, exercise group and other fun groups that change quarterly. AMC meets Tuesdays and Fridays from 9:30-11:30 a.m. year round, at St. Gregory's Episcopal Church, 3195 Barnett Shoals Road. AMC is a nonprofit, nondenominational organization and is a part of the National Association of Mothers' Centers. Today there are more than 100 centers in the United States with the Athens Mothers' Center being the first in Georgia.

Dads are welcome on Fridays. Prospective members are always welcome to drop in to discover what the Athens Mothers' Center is all about. Childcare is provided if desired during groups for a nominal fee. Financial assistance is available. For more information please call (706) 552-8554 or visit www.athensmothers.org.

Jacki Gaytan is a stay at home mom to one year old Rayna. Jacki and her family recently moved to Athens from Paw Paw, MI.