The tale of the three Mamateers
On Friday mornings I take my youngest to a music class for toddlers. After the class, the mums usually hang around while the toddlers run about and burn off a bit more energy pre-lunch. Last week one of the mums was telling me how a few of them were due to go off to her parent's caravan for the weekend, leaving the babies and partners behind for a couple of nights. I smiled, genuinely happy for them because I knew exactly how she was feeling and was so thrilled that another group of mum pals were on the brink of life-long friendship.
I’ve always been a bit of a loner. I’ve never been one for big groups or parties, and I’ve always found it hard to make friends. But when I became a mother, everything changed.
When my baby was six weeks old, I was forced to join a mandated post-natal group. I was dreading it, but to my surprise, I actually really enjoyed it. I met two women who would become my Mamateers, and we quickly bonded over our shared experiences of motherhood.
We met once a week to chat, laugh, and cry. We supported each other through the tough times, and we celebrated the good times together. We were there for each other through thick and thin, and I don’t know what I would have done without them. As our families grew, we all moved out of the city we were living in and ended up in different parts of the world.
We don't get to see each other quite so much these days, so to get some much-needed Mamateer time, we decided to meet up in Rome last year for a long weekend. It was a great adventure, exploring the city, eating delicious food, and drinking lots of wine. We laughed until our sides hurt, and we cried tears of joy. It was the perfect weekend, and I’ll never forget it.
I’m so grateful for my Mamateers. They’ve made motherhood so much easier, and they’ve made me a better person. I know that I can always count on them, and I know that our friendship will last a lifetime.
If you’re a new mother, I encourage you to join a post-natal group, a music class, a walking group. Motherhood can be lonely and overwhelming, it can feel like you're fighting just to get through the day sometimes but if you have a Mamateer or two by your side, I promise it makes it so much easier, and fun and an adventure you'll never forget.