Mothers' Morning welcomes you to another semester of encouragement, support and camaraderie among mothers of young children — from newborns to fifth graders! We have a great schedule planned for this fall!

We generally meet on the second Tuesday of the month in the Youth Room (100 level) from 9:00 to 11:30 a.m. Child care will be provided so you can have a few unencumbered hours every month to learn about yourself, improve your parenting skills, discover marriage-building techniques, gain spiritual enrichment, and find friendship with other mothers who are in need of companionship and encouragement, as you may be.

Registration forms are mailed to parents in the congregation who have young children, and are available at the Welcome Center and the Church Office. To secure your spot, please fill out and return the form along with the non-refundable $10 fee to the church by September 13. This covers the cost of speakers (when applicable), craft materials, and some refreshments. However, registrations are welcomed throughout the semester if you are unable to attend the September meeting, and can be arranged on a per-meeting basis of $3 per meeting. We ask those registering later in the term to contact a member of the Steering Committee in advance to let us know you will be coming, so child care can be arranged, if needed. If you have questions, please contact Carolyn Gehrke 572-5832, or contact one of the other members of the Steering Committee.

Please also consider joining us for an occasional "Mom's Night Out" or playdate.

Our Format

Breakfast treats are available during Mothers' Morning meetings. After the first meeting, however, each mom will be asked to bring refreshments at least once during the semester.

Tuesday morning schedule:

9:00 - 9:00 a.m. Children's check-in, moms' check-in and breakfast treats

9:30 - 11:30 a.m. Guest speaker, discussion and questions, or creative activity

Child Care

Volunteers from the church kindly provide child care. Because we do not have the facilities to accommodate children other than those who are registered, we have to insist that only your children are allowed. Please leave your diaper bag (if necessary) with the child care provider, as we do not supply diapers. If after registering you no longer need to bring your child (due to day care or preschool provisions), please let us know so another mom who would like to bring a child may do so. And, most importantly, please do not bring a sick child!

Weather Cancellations:

Mothers' Morning will be cancelled if Ann Arbor Public Schools are closed due to weather.

FALL 2009 EVENT SCHEDULE:

September 15 (Third Tuesday) - Getting to Know You

Come meet new friends or reconnect with familiar faces after the summer break. New members are welcome! Come enjoy fellowship, breakfast treats (provided), and a fun mixer to get to know one another a little better. We may meet out on the terrace (weather permitting), so bring a folding lawn chair for yourself.

October 13 - Better Coupon Savings

Barbara Zinser is a local realtor who learned of and began applying the shopping principles of nationally known "coupon mom" Stephanie Nelson to her own shopping. She found the system so helpful in saving money on groceries that she felt moved to share it with others and now does presentations teaching other how to save as well. Come learn her methods to stretch your money.

November 10 - Getting Organized

Carolyn Anderson-Ferman, organizing consultant from SimplyOrganizedLife.com, offers tips about organization for families. She will discuss specific ways to organize, but also focus on how we get there conceptually--it's a mindset, not a trip to Target to get containers! She will share five main tips during her discussion: routines and rituals; less is more; planning and using a calendar; getting help; enjoying the journey.

December 8 - Keeping Your Sanity During the Holidays

Time for socializing, discussion, and an easy craft rounds out our fall season.