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From One Katy Mom to Another
Local Groups Give Moms a Place to Share, Communicate, and Connect
© Katy Magazine - Katy, Texas
September 15, 2005
By Cathy Berner
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Your two-year-old son insists on wearing his fireman raincoat whenever he leaves the house, rain or shine, July or December. Your four-year-old daughter has been on
a diet of corn, French fries, and chicken nuggets for 10 days. What’s a mom to do? Where can she turn for answers to questions like these? Fortunately, two international organizations with a local presence in Katy help moms
cope with the day-to-day joys and traumas of raising kids.  For Mothers of Preschoolers
MOPS
(Mothers of Preschoolers) started more than 30 years ago; today there are more than 10,000 MOPS groups around the world. MOPS is open for moms of children aged birth – 5 years of age and each group is chartered in a religious
organization. Although the structure may vary from group to group, each MOPS meeting provides time for moms to share, fellowship, and enjoy a quiet breakfast. Groups have speakers on a variety of issues from pediatric dentistry to
organization to foster care. Some groups have time for moms to complete a craft or activity, free of distractions. While moms visit, the children participate in the MOPPETS program where they enjoy Bible stories, crafts and
snacks. Most MOPS groups are chartered through a church so there is a religious component to the meetings. Ezy Dampman, the leader of Holy Apostles’ MOPS, says,
“The purpose of MOPS is to nurture every Mother of Preschoolers by meeting her distinct needs to the glory of Christ.”
You Are Not Alone Kym Pratt, a leader at the MOPS Group at Kingsland Baptist Church in Katy, strongly believes in the
program. “MOPS International meets the need of every mom. No matter your lifestyle, background, family size or house square footage...MOPS can help you muddle through the years of raising your children and learn that you are not
in it alone!” Tammy Shields, a leader at the First Baptist Church of Katy, agrees. “MOPS provides a non-judgmental, supportive environment where you can make new
friendships. It’s a safe place to admit you are not a perfect mom.” Tess Alfonsin, a member of the MOPS group at Holy Apostles loves the MOPS program for the way each
meeting rejuvenates her. “When I am reunited with my children at the end of the meeting, I feel like my cup has been filled again. I feel like I can give back to them in ways that I might not have been able to had I not
attended.” More Support for Katy Area Moms
Another organization, MOMS (Moms Offering Moms Support) Club International was founded in 1983 by Mary James, an at-home mother in California, who decided she was tired of being
alone at home and wanted to meet other at-home mothers. Now with 1500 chapters around the world, these clubs host playgroups, book clubs, and lunches for moms and kids at family-friendly restaurants. There’s also a monthly general
meeting featuring roundtable discussions, children’s activities and speakers on matters of interest to moms (a Harris County Deputy or a local pediatrician, for example). Above all, MOMS Clubs provide an informal setting for moms
to talk about and gain support on a variety of childrearing issues. A Welcoming Environment Donna
Tolan is one of the founding members of the MOMS Club of Katy, which has since grown or “sistered” into three clubs serving moms throughout the area. She and four other women got together to form a MOMS Club because they felt the
need to find a group that celebrated motherhood, with particular focus on the at-home mom. “One of the most difficult aspects of being an at-home mom is social isolation. Being a part of this group allows at-home moms to connect
with each other and form lasting friendships,” she says. Cindi Janak appreciates “the friendly, welcoming environment which includes numerous activities. I find it
intimidating to join a group and take that first step in meeting new people. With the number of activities planned, it’s easy to choose something to attend and the members make you feel included right away.” Danielle Croteau
agrees. “I think the best thing is that you find out through group emails, playgroups, mom's activities that we are all experiencing very similar issues in our day to day lives. It's great to
be able to validate how you are feeling as a mom and wife.”
Establishing
Roots and Making Friends A number of mothers in both groups have found either MOPS or MOMS help them grow roots in the community. Many of them have
seen an announcement about one of the groups and have joined to get to know people. After Cheryl Mohn moved to Katy, she felt isolated with no immediate family, and no resources. She found that the MOMS Club provided her with “a
network of resources and the strength of knowing you’re not alone with child rearing issues.”
Whether you’re new to the area or you’re just new to
motherhood, either one of these organizations can help you find support and friendship to nourish you and enrich the life of your child.
There are three MOMS Clubs in the Katy area:
MOMS Club of Katy – NW
For moms who live west of Mason Rd. and north of Highland Knolls
margaretheichel@houston.rr.com MOMS Club of Katy – SW
For moms who live west of Mason Rd. and south of Highland Knolls
bb@polygoninc.com
MOMS Club of Katy – East
For moms who live west of Fry Rd and east of Mason Rd.
momsclubofkatyeast@yahoo.com
If you have questions about
which moms club to join, you can also visit www.momsclub.org for further information.
There are five MOPS Groups in the Katy area. Some may reach capacity, but the leaders will work to put you in touch with other groups that still have room for moms and their
preschoolers. For general information about the MOPS program, visit their website at www.mops.org.
Kingsland Baptist Church
20555 Kingsland Blvd
Katy, TX 77450
281-492-0785
www.kingsland.org Second Baptist Church
19449 Katy Freeway
Houston, TX 77094
713-465-3408 Church of the Holy Apostles
1225 W Grand Pkwy S
Katy, TX 77494
281-395-4583
BEDampman@mindspring.com First Baptist Church - Katy
600 Pin Oak
Katy, TX 77494
(281) 391-1100
tamjoy@consolidated.net
www.fbc-katy.org Faith West, Inc
2225 Porter Rd
Katy, TX 77493
281-391-5683
dmiller@faithwest.org Cathy Berner lives in Katy with her husband two young children.
Before becoming a freelance writer and mother, she worked as a librarian and a congressional staff member.
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