Outings
We plan monthly Mom & Tot
Outings and Family Outings to local parks, farms, bookstores, museums, and
other interesting places. The Mom & Tot and Family outings are designed
to give us all a chance to do something as a group which we
would not ordinarily do by ourselves. Hence, the outings
sometimes involve area attractions which are often a bit
further away than a normal drive to the park. Please join us
as we explore all that New Jersey and nearby Pennsylvania
have to offer our children - it is usually well worth the
trip!
Crafts Club
Our Crafts Club meets once each month at a member's
home. We work on different kinds of crafts such as
scrapbooking and basket weaving. Novices and experienced
crafters are all welcome.
Coffee Time
We meet every other
Friday at a local, child-friendly coffeehouse or
restaurant for coffee and frequently go somewhere
afterward for some playtime with the children. For
example: Meeting in the community room of Panera then
walking over for Tiger Tales at the Cotsen
Library.
Stroller Walk
Members of our group
meet on a regular basis at area parks, such as Mercer
County Park or Greenway Meadows, or shopping areas for
some exercise with the little ones.
Seasoned Moms
Our Seasoned Moms group is for those
members who have moved beyond dealing with feedings and
diapers (with at least one of their children) and are now
dealing with school issues and the like. Seasoned Moms
participants are still involved with the group at large and
give back in the form of support and encouragement to the
newer members. The Seasoned Moms group meets socially once a
month in the evening, giving members who have school-aged
children the chance to discuss common interests, issues, and
challenges that come as our children grow older. We also
meet during the day on school holidays and during the summer
with our children for kid-oriented activities.
Attendance
at any Seasoned Moms event is open to all interested members
regardless of the age of their children.
HOOTOWL
Our H.O.O.T.O.W.L. (Husbands Out Of
Town Or Working Late) group usually meets once per the
month. It is designed for moms & kids and features
kid-friendly restaurants and activities. This is also a
great event for single moms who are looking for an evening
activity that doesn't require a babysitter!
CARE
We have a CARE committee coordinator to arrange for
meals and other assistance to be provided to local members
in times of need, such as after the birth of a new baby.
Community Work
Our ongoing community service project is
to visit with the residents of Stony Brook Assisted Living
Center. All members are welcome to attend regardless of your
child's age (the more the merrier!).
Playgroups
We have many active small group playgroups that meet
weekly in member's homes. There are groups for babies,
groups for toddlers, groups for siblings, and groups for
preschoolers.
- Toddlers' Playgroup one year to twenty-four months
meet Fridays at 11am
- Two and a half year-olds meet Mondays at 10am
- Three year olds meet Friday at 1pm
The basic ground rules for Playgroups include:
- All moms MUST BE MEMBERS of
Mothers & More. This is not negotiable. If you have a
relative or childcare provider who will be attending
with your child, she must be a member too.
- Friends and neighbors may not
attend playgroup when it is at your house. They, too,
must be members. This is for liability reasons.
- When possible, please RSVP to
the week's hostess so she can anticipate the headcount.
- Hostesses usually provide a
basic snack and drinks for moms and kids. These
absolutely can be store-bought and non-gourmet. Please
indicate any food allergies before meeting.
- Please respect the start and
end times of playgroup. Unless you know the hostess
really well, do not assume that she will be truthful
when you ask to stay longer or come earlier. She's just
being polite.
- Do not assume that a house is
child-proof! This word means different things to
different moms, and some kids require more of it
anyway. Watch your children carefully.
- You are well within your
rights to express house rules and enforce them (e.g., No
food outside of the kitchen; shoes off in the playroom,
etc.)
- Please avoid discussing
controversial or offensive topics, especially when the
children are nearby and understand. This might include
politics, religion, sex, and profanity. Use your best
judgment.
- If there is a problem with how the group is
operating that needs to be addressed, please contact the
playgroup coordinator or co-leader.
- If you would like to change groups or drop out of
playgroups altogether, please contact the playgroup
coordinator. It is very helpful to know when space
opens up or groups need to be merged.
Unless you are signed up for a
multiple-child playgroup, other siblings will generally not
attend playgroups except on school holidays
