Starting/Joining a Group in Your Area

Who can join? Moms who have one son or multiple sons, especially those who feel outnumbered by guys in their own home. Moms with children of both sexes are eligible, too. The common thread here, basically, is to be the mother of a son(s).

What do we do? Mainly socialize and have an excuse to get out of the house for an evening. Usually at a restaurant or someone’s home. Groups have also had speakers about various topics (home organization, boyhood health, parenting, gardening, etc.). Members support and encourage each other and laugh together at our MOB experiences. Also, some groups have donated to causes such as the Boys Club.

How to start a group:

There is no fee whatsoever. Be the first in your state to start an MOB group!!! Contact me (Sharon O’Donnell) at Sharon@momsofboys.org to get tips on starting a local MOB group. Once you let me know you’d like to start a group, I’ll add your name and contact info to the list above so interested moms can get in touch with you. I can send you a sample press release so you can send them to local media addresses. Listeners/readers will be instructed to go to this Website for more information.

Here are some simple steps to starting an MOB group:

 

1. First, recruit other MOBs you already know: send information (emails, phone calls, word-of-mouth) to MOBs you know of and let them know there is such a group forming and details about the first meeting (lunch, dinner, etc.). This might be all you need to do if word-of-mouth works for you. A group of eight - ten women would work well, just as those with larger numbers do. (This first meeting is better to take place in a restaurant unless you already know those who are coming, and they feel comfortable meeting in your home. As the women get to know each other, then maybe meeting in homes could be an option instead of restaurants.)

 

2. If you’d like to do other promotion, then make up a simple flyer with details about MOB AND this Website address. I’ve got a sample one you can use and just change the local info. Pass out flyers at sporting events, Scouting events, schools, coffee shops, PTA, church, even strangers at Target or the grocery store.

 

3. If you still want to add to your membership, then get media coverage: Identity media outlets that could get the word out about your group such as local parenting magazines, the Lifestyle/family sections of daily/weekly newspapers, TV station reporters, and radio stations (Public Service Annoucements are a good thing to send to all of these and/or contacting reporters for possible story coverage). I’ll provide you with a sample news release for you to adapt for your area. If the news release doesn’t generate a feature story, then at least perhaps the editor of the publication will include it in their ‘news briefs’ sections.

 

4. If you try to get story coverage, be prepared to talk to reporters and to have your boys photographed. I love to write and have my column in the paper, but I hate it when somebody else is writing about me and photographing me and my family. HOWEVER, I had to get over this, and go for the publicity in the newspaper. I’m glad I did. Besides, it gave me a lot of incentive to clean up the house before the photographer came over. Know the points you want to make with the reporter and jot them down so you make sure you say them during the interview. Also, come up with some funny or enlightening anecdotes about being a mom with a son/sons (but make SURE it’s not something that might embarrass your sons/husband).

5. Respond to the e-mails of other interested moms within 48 hours with a general e-mail message. Strike while the iron is hot, so to speak. They are interested NOW; don’t wait weeks to respond.

   If you only receive a few responses, then ask the women for their help in getting the word out; e-mail them flyers about the club/Website that they can print out (or do the printing yourself and mail them or meet to distribute). Even a small group can be beneficial and fun.

   If the response is too large to handle for one group (in large metropolitan areas), you might want to break it into two or more divisions of the MOB group based on what part of the city the MOBs are from.

 

6. Arrange meeting. Find a restaurant (preferably with a separate room if you have a larger group) and that’s not too expensive. Book a night there for dinner, keeping in mind scheduling conflicts of MOBs. I booked my first group dinner for a Sunday night at 7 since usually there’s not as much going on and husbands are often home to watch the kids. Send a note out with the place/date/time to all MOBs who’ve expressed an interest in the club and ask for RSVPs. If you have not received publicity but would like to, invite a reporter to your meeting.

 

7. Have the meeting. Keep the meeting light and let the women talk and exchange info. Give an introduction at the beginning, maybe have the women introduce themselves and tell something about their boy(s), and brainstorm.

 

8. Follow-up with members with results of meeting and other opportunities to get together. Don’t forget the ones who could not attend the first time around.

Click here to read an article about MOB Clubs/Groups from The News & Observer March 15, 2005. - Reprinted by permission of The News & Observer of Raleigh, North Carolina

Summary and quotes from “Mothers of Boys group gives ‘outnumbered’ moms a night out” from the Daily Record, Morristown, New Jersey, Feb. 4, 2004

Article was about area moms who have just boys meeting together for dinner, to hear speakers, and to help the community. Group includes about 40 moms; meets several times a year.

“Our main intent is to keep it light and just enjoy the camaraderie of being with other outnumbered moms,” said co-founder Marylyn McLaughlin of Morristown.

The article also was about speakers the group has had (a nutritionist who spoke about feeding growing boys) and a local home for boys who are deprived, abandoned, or neglected, for which the group raised money. This effort, one group member described as an opportunity for mothers of boys to help boys without mothers. Co-founder Marybeth Wooters said, “There is an agenda here. It’s not just social.”