The Mom Crowd

As moms we all feel discouraged at one time or another for not living up to expectations that we have of ourselves. I mentioned in my “Judging Other Mothers” post that we should encourage each other as moms instead of judging each other.

Gary Chapman’s book, “The 5 Love Languages” suggests that people feel encouraged and loved through five different love languages: words of affirmation, acts of service, the giving of gifts, physical touch, and time spent. Think about a friend that you would like to encourage this week. Which do you think their love language would be? Try to do one act of encouragement this week for another friend. You will feel encouraged that you did something nice for a friend and they will be cheered up. They may be having a rough day and your little note or act of kindness could make all the difference.

Here are 30 ways that you can encourage a friend:

1. Pick up the phone and see how they are doing.

2. Mail them an encouraging note. It doesn’t have to be long.

3. Buy a small gift like a candy bar or a tube of lip gloss and leave it on their door with a note.

4. Meet up for coffee after all the kids are in bed and dad is home.

5. Give a hug.

6. Say the words, “You are a great mom!” to a friend.

7. Make a mix cd of your favorite songs for your friend.

8. Make her a gift set of personalized blank note cards that they can use later.

9. Listen to what they are going through. Just listen and don’t solve the problem, unless they ask for suggestion.

10. Mail her a $5 gift card to Blockbuster, so she can treat herself to a nice movie after the kids are in bed.

11. Meet up at a kid-friendly restaurant with your kids.

12. Compliment her cooking skills.

13. Meet at the park and bring her lunch.

14. Say the words, “Have you lost more weight? Those jeans look fabulous on you!”

15. When you go to the grocery store call them and ask if they need anything.

16. Go over to their house and while they watch the kids, do their dishes or vacuum.

17. Babysit their child(ren) for an hour, while they take a long bubble bath or take a nap.

18. Go for a walk together.

19. Help them organize that closet that they have not gotten to yet.

20. Send them a funny Hallmark e-card. (Hoops and Yo-Yo are always funny.)

21. While the dads stay home and babysit meet up with other moms on a Saturday night.

22. Go raid the clearance racks at expensive department stores together. (Macy’s usually has some good deals. My friend says that Nordstrom’s can have some good deals too.)

23. Send an email to old friend and say that you were thinking about them.

24. Just go over to their house and spend an afternoon together while playing with the kids at the same time.

25. Drop off a cute little bouquet of flowers. (Costco has amazing bouquets for fifteen bucks.)

26. Compliment what a great job she is doing raising her child(ren).

27. Help her plan her child’s birthday party.

28. Plan a two-family meal and eat together. One cooks the main dish and the other cooks the sides.

29. Print out photos that you have taken of them or their children and give them to her.

30. Write a nice comment on their blog.