MOMS Club International has a new local chapter

By HOLLY PASZCZYNSKA

Staff Writer

There’s a new mom in town, and she wants to be your friend.

Lauren Baughman recently moved here and has been looking to connect with other stay-at-home moms in the area. She’s hosting an open house at McEuen Park on July 30 to introduce her new endeavor, the North Kootenai County chapter of MOMS Club International.

MOMS — an acronym for “Moms Offering Moms Support” — has more than 2,000 chapters in the country and has been around since the early ’80s. It offers support and a chance for socialization of young children and moms through playdates and other events like moms’ night out, field trips and holiday parties.

Baughman relocated here six months ago from Liberty Lake, where she had lived for two years, and where she had been a member of the South Spokane Chapter.

“They were wonderful and supportive, and I missed that here. It seems we’re lacking that formal stay-at-home mom support overall in this area,” said Baughman. “I figured since it wasn’t here already that I should try to get it out there.”

She explained that many moms travel to the Spokane area for formal support groups and playdates. She thinks a chapter here should be well-received.

Having two little boys of her own, it’s something she said she really needs.

“A lot of us stay-at-home moms are home all day with just our kids, and they need the socialization, and we need the socialization, and the support really — knowing that there are other people out there struggling through this or doing the same thing every day that you are doing.”

Eventually, there will be a board with monthly board meetings, she said. There will be a membership fee, amount still to be determined, with a scholarship option for those in need.

“We don’t want anyone to not be able to join,” she said.

Those interested are invited to attend the open house at McEuen Park from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on July 30 to hear about the new chapter, meet other moms and let the kids play at the playground and splash-pad.

Information can be found online at momsclubofnkootenai county.weebly.com/ or on Facebook: MOMS Club of North Kootenai County, ID.

Baughman can be reached at 253-306-9266.