4Real Forums: Being Available - friend and mentor

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Topic: Being Available - friend and mentor

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Angie Mc
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Joined: Jan 31 2005
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Posted: May 11 2010 at 8:21pm \| IP Logged

Michaela asked the following question on her topic, Being Available:

Michaela wrote:

Come to find out...she has been told not to bother me because I'm too busy with my five children.

It has made me wonder how families with many (?) children project to others that they are available to help. Especially when you've told the person you are willing to help!

How do you let other families know you're available? Especially those who may believe you have your hands full and can't possibly want to help.

Under common circumstances, how to you find ways to be available to be a friend or a mentor? How do you avoid being labled "too busy?"

Love,

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Angie Mc
Maimeo to Henry! Dave's wife, mom to Mrs. Devin+Michael Pope, Aiden 20,Ian 17,John Paul 11,Catherine (heaven 6/07)
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guitarnan
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Joined: Feb 07 2005
Location: Maryland
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Posted: May 11 2010 at 9:23pm \| IP Logged

I try to offer specific things that can help my friends. For many of them, it's driving - I offer to pick up their daughters en route to an event all the girls are attending, for example. If they demur, I remind them that I'm going that way anyway, and want to help the environment...

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Nancy in MD. Mom of ds (24) & dd (18); 31-year Navy wife, move coordinator and keeper of home fires. Writer and dance mom.

Becky Parker
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Joined: May 23 2005
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Posted: May 12 2010 at 6:59am \| IP Logged

You know, for me, being an extravert, sometimes the day to day being at home with a little one got lonely. My husband is in the picture, but he does go to work everyday so it's me and the kids most of the time. Back when I just had one baby, I remember feeling lonely most of the day. (Now, with 5, I think it might be nice to feel "lonely" for just a while!

) Maybe "being available" can be just stopping by for a couple hours to sit and talk with the mom who is struggling. Sometimes, seeing how another mom deals with the crying baby can really help.

Once, as an adult, before I had children, I was babysitting for my brother and sil. Their baby was a screamer and he screamed and cried for 2 hours before I finally called my mom in despair. I was embarasseed to call her because I was an adult myself, but I was at my wits end. Just watching how she consoled the baby was really good for me. I still use her methods today when one of my little ones gets wound up. Some women never had the opportunity to learn how to console a crying baby.

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Becky
Wife to Wes, Mom to 6 wonderful kids on Earth and 4 in Heaven!
Academy Of The Good Shepherd

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