Making friends as an adult is hard. Making friends as a mom? Sometimes it feels nearly impossible.
Between nap schedules, school drop-offs, tantrums, and the never-ending responsibilities of motherhood, finding time to build meaningful friendships can fall pretty far down the priority list.
But here's the thing: so many of us are looking for exactly the same thing. Someone to laugh with, someone who understands, and someone who doesn't mind if our kids completely lose it halfway through a conversation.
That's where Carol-Ann and Springfield Crunchy-ish Mamas come in.
What started as a simple New Year's resolution to visit every park in Springfield has grown into a welcoming community of mothers, weekly meetups, park adventures, and genuine friendships.
For this month's Local Voices, we're getting to know the woman behind it all, why she started, what she's learned, and why she believes showing up, even when it's awkward, can change everything.
It All Started With a Park Bingo Card
What inspired you to start creating more connection and community for local moms?
This whole thing started with the idea of setting a New Year's resolution to visit every park in Springfield.
I was coming up on a year postpartum with babe number two and still very much trying to adjust to being a newly full-time stay-at-home mama to two.
I was desperately wanting a community, some kind of easily integrated excitement and adventure, and a reason to force myself out of the house with two small babes!
From there, the Springfield Park Bingo Card came to life, and I began to wonder if any other mamas might need this too and enjoy playing along. If maybe I could use this as a way to build the community I was looking for.
Weekly meetups, the Facebook group, Instagram, and Springfield park reviews came quickly after.
Friendship Without the Pressure
What do you think moms are looking for most when it comes to friendship or community right now?
For me, it's authenticity and low pressure, but with a steadiness.
Like, I'm gonna be here, even though today I gotta go deal with tantrums and hormonal turbulence and I didn't text you back yet. 🤣
I think we are all looking for that come-as-you-are crowd. Highs, lows, overstimulated, misbehaving children and all.
We're seeking authentic connection and conversations about motherhood, self, and even dreams beyond the sleepless nights and the hormonal roller coaster that new motherhood is.
With the meetups, I am trying to create a space of consistency. Drop in when you can, come as you are, leave when you need to, and know we'll be there next week and the invitation's standing.
Finding Joy in Bringing People Together
What has surprised you most as you've started building this community?
So many things! Everything!
Springfield Crunchy-ish Mamas has truly become a passion project I don't plan on putting down anytime soon!
The joy in connecting others. I love to play hostess, introducing and connecting people to each other and to places in our community, too!
The gratitude and pride I feel for Willamalane and our beautiful parks.
The enjoyment I have for discovering the history behind our parks and community. I try to dig up as much history as I can for my Springfield Park Reviews!
And the fulfillment, and longevity of that fulfillment, I get after a great meetup.
A Place to Feel Welcome
What do you hope moms feel when they find your group?
Sincerity, authenticity, excitement, hope, ease, solidarity, welcome.
Why Is Making Mom Friends So Hard?
What makes finding friendships as a mom harder than people expect?
I think so much is going on for moms, especially new moms, and each new babe is an entirely different transition.
We are quite literally going through a transformation. It feels like being a teenager all over, hormones and all.
The whole "who even am I?" thing is a big disruption to our self-confidence.
We all think everyone else has it down, is somehow doing it better, functioning better, is judging us, isn't interested in a new friendship.
The circumstances for friendship aren't typically built into adult life. We expect friendship to kind of happen instantaneously, but adult friendships form slowly through repetition, consistency, trust-building, and authentic connection.
And those things are especially hard to foster when you're chasing after screaming babes while you're having a hot flash, wondering why you left the house!
"Awkward is human. Show up as you are and keep doing it. You're liked more than you think."
— Carol-Ann, Springfield Crunchy-ish Mamas
Show Up Anyway
What would you say to a local mom who wants more connection but feels awkward putting herself out there?
That's part of it. Do it anyways.
Remember, when you look at someone doing it and think she's more confident than me, she's an extrovert, she's got it together, all these things you maybe don't feel but feel like you see in her, she's probably just a mama doing it scared.
Doing it through the awkwardness, pushing through anxiety and self-doubt.
Showing up is half the battle, and that's not a unique experience.
I've been hosting a meetup almost every week for over a year, and still every time, I feel anxious, stumbly, self-conscious.
Awkward is human. Show up as you are and keep doing it. You're liked more than you think. ☺️
Ready to Find Your People?
What's one simple way you'd encourage moms to start finding their people locally?
Print a Springfield Park Bingo Card, start visiting all of our amazing parks, and say hello to the mamas in the parks!
Start a conversation. Ask for her number or just give her yours!
Or join us for a Springfield Crunchy-ish Mamas meetup, grab a card from me, and let me introduce you to your new friends!
First, envision what you'd want in a friend. Like, "Oh, I'd love a friend that's into getting outside with their babes."
Then do the things you think that person would do, like join a local park meetup!
Show up and keep showing up. Do it scared, get through awkward, because it's worth it and you deserve it! ♡
A Little Reminder From Macaroni KID
One of the beautiful things about motherhood is that while it changes so much about who we are, it can also introduce us to people we never would have met otherwise.
Sometimes, community starts with something as simple as visiting a playground, saying hello to another parent, or showing up to a meetup where you don't know anyone.
You don't have to have everything figured out. Your kids don't have to be perfectly behaved. You don't even have to feel confident walking in.
You just have to show up. And who knows? Your next great friendship might be waiting at the park.
Connect With Springfield Crunchy-ish Mamas
Want to join an upcoming meetup or start exploring Springfield's parks?
Local Voices is a monthly Macaroni KID Eugene & Springfield series celebrating the people who make our community a wonderful place to raise a family. From educators and community leaders to local parents creating meaningful connections, we're sharing the stories behind the people making a difference.
