It’s a beautiful Autumn day in Philadelphia and we just returned from a fantastic morning outing with our 1 year old and 3 year old sons. It was as relaxing as relaxing can be with two toddlers. Anyone who is or has been a parent of young children knows about this. My husband and I got to sit down and take in the beautiful Delaware River for about 3 seconds each. We were bustling between train rides, diaper changes, picnic lunches, racing to the butterfly house, and the occasional time out for our once labeled ‘mellow and laid-back’ 3 year old. However, there were no meltdowns, it wasn’t too hot nor too crowded, we spent time with friends and their toddler, and both kids napped in the car ride home leaving us time to actually talk to each other.
Life as a parent of young children on a good day is stressful, hectic, and busy. It requires a great deal of organization, multi-tasking, patience, and putting your own needs on the back burner. Ah, but those moments in between…..when your children make each other laugh, or your child says, “Mommy, I wuv you bevvy bevvy much!” These are the moments that make the journey worthwhile; the moments that keep you going when you feel your sanity slipping away.
Remaining consistent with limit setting, yielding to temper tantrums, saying the appropriate things, listening, staying playful, following toddler time – all these things are hard to do yet necessary to raise a conscientious, loving, willful, kind child. Parenting requires so much from a person. It is the ultimate self-sacrifice. Anyone can make it look easy, but it is not. Even the most well put together parent is tired, stressed, worried, or anxious. We all second guess ourselves at some point.
This is why we need connection. A place to talk with other moms without the interruption of a child, the distraction of a baby, or the thought of our never- gotten- to ‘to-do” list. A place where a mom can get tips from other moms, hear that she is not alone, learn about the normal challenges of motherhood, and discover how to find the magic more frequently within the chaos. Topics include the art of multi-tasking, time left for me, finding one of many right ways to guide our children, organizing schedules and clutter, managing newbornhood, keeping our marriages alive, making decisions without always second guessing ourselves, remaining patient in the face of temper tantrums, and tips on how to be a calmer, more patient, and more present mother.
The Calling All Moms workshop is held the third Sunday of every month in the office of private practice therapist Tracey Ellenbogen. This workshop is for any mom who wishes to connect, listen, and relax. Moms will receive more professional and experiential
suggestions and tips for her and her children than she could gain in a year’s worth of pediatrician appointments.
Next workshop is Sunday December 17th 4:00 pm. Call Tracey for more details at
(610) 457-6361 or email traceybogen@comcast.net
Tracey is also available to conduct workshops for moms groups in other cities as well. Consider it as a Jewelry Party for your soul….moms getting together in someone’s home with wine and cheese and a couple hours to talk and renew ourselves as mothers.
Tracey Ellenbogen, a mother of two boys and licensed clinical social worker, is a psychotherapist in private practice in Bala Cynwyd. Tracey has 10 years of experience helping others struggling with depression, anxiety, relationship conflicts, self – esteem issues, and eating disorders and has been published and quoted in The Philadelphia Inquirer, The Jewish Exponent, Modern Bride Magazine, The Philadelphia Magazine, and the NBC-10 morning show.
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