Where's the Water Cooler?

Being a mom is full of moments that require superhuman strength. Not only to carry a toddler and newborn across a parking lot to get to the car, but also to keep from screaming so loudly all the windows in the house shatter. Personally, I think it’s MUCH harder to keep from screaming. 

In fact, a few weeks ago I could have used a bit more strength. I had just taken a shower (a small victory for me) and was in my room attempting to get dressed. My 2 ½ year-old son was hanging on my leg sobbing for some unknown reason and was still just in is diaper since he was refusing to get dressed. My 2 month-old was in her crib next door screaming and crying—demanding to be fed (again). One of my dogs was scratching urgently at the back door to go out. My other dog came in to my bedroom and puked on the rug, and then my phone started ringing. 

I was standing there with wet hair in my underwear with tears streaming down my face and I screamed (to know one in particular), “I just want to put my pants on!!!” 

Every mother has moments like these that we can all laugh about, but who do we have to laugh with? One of the hardest adjustments I had to make in becoming a stay-at-home mom was being alone all day. It took a long time to figure out that the thing I was really missing was a “water cooler friend”. Not necessarily a best friend, or even someone I had anything in common with outside of work, but I was missing having co-workers. I missed having someone to see everyday at work—someone to talk with about the weekend and laugh at all the craziness of life. 

I always wonder how moms a generation ago made it without all of the things we have today. Some women didn’t even have cars to go anywhere! What many of them did have, however, was a community of neighborhood moms. They weren’t necessarily their first choice in friends, but they were co-workers. They were women to meet up with and talk about the week and laugh at all the hard things that made them want to scream. They were women who understood the uniqueness of this time of life. They were women who were willing to watch your kids for an hour if you needed help. At least that’s what I gather from the stories I’ve heard.