The pandemic has been tough on a lot of people, especially for new moms. But a duo in Oxford County is helping hundreds of mothers reconnect after raising their children throughout COVID-19 related lockdowns.
Brittany Bratt and Danica Dixon first connected through social media after feeling isolated in having to spend years being inside and social distancing. With the hope of sparking change and creating a community with other mothers in the area, the two started the Oxford County Moms Club, an online group that’s collected over 900 followers from both their Instagram and Facebook accounts.
Bratt said that since they were feeling lonely, others must be too.
“Our first post was March 20 with the idea of like, ‘Hey, we’re Danica and Britt, we’re moms and we’re lonely and maybe someone else out there is too so let’s hang out,’” she said.
From posting videos of encouragement to planning group walks, Dixon said that more and more mothers keep reaching out.
“The whole thing has just taken off,” she said. “We work flexible jobs, so our intention was that there must be other moms that are in the same boat or who stay at home and are looking for a chance to get out. So, our first post was asking if anyone wanted to go on a walk with us and more and more moms keep coming out.”
The pair said that each week they try to plan a group walk, with the most recent being held last Friday in Ingersoll, Ont., where 25 moms came out to meet one another. Now into their sixth week, Bratt said that the turnout numbers keep climbing up.
https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cr8uI3lAlL0/?igshid=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==
Get breaking National news
“Everybody has said that there’s a need for this,” she said. “It’s just coming together as a community and helping one another get through it because motherhood can be super lonely, but it doesn’t have to be.”
“When I was becoming mom, there was nothing like this,” Dixon added. “It was really scary to think about entering this new chapter of my life, and I didn’t know what to expect. But now, this sort of bridges that gap so we really love that.”
Emma Dupon is a new mom of seven months and has been a member of the Oxford County Moms Club “since day one.”
“Someone I know shared their page and I saw that morning they were having their first walk. So, I decided to just pack up and come out,” she said. “Getting the chance to meet new people and get out of the house has just been really great for me.”
Dixon added that the club has “turned into something entirely different than what we were expecting so I think it’s going to be something amazing. I’m excited to see what happens in the future.”
But with Mother’s Day now less than a week away, the two said that they have something in the works to honour local mothers in the community.
“I don’t have my mom anymore, so it’s completely impacted how I mother my children,” Bratt said. “We’re actually working on a little thing for our page right now about what Mother’s Day means to people and how it’s different for everybody.”
“There’s so much that comes with motherhood,” Dixon continued. “There’s the actual job but then there’s like the mental load and emotional toll of motherhood.
“You always hear that saying, ‘it takes a village,’ but I mean, I had my kids at the beginning of COVID so there was no village,” she said. “We weren’t allowed to see anybody and that was really scary. So, I think with Mother’s Day coming up, it’s important to notice that and not just give some flowers. But say, ‘Hey, I see you,’ and that’s part of why we did this.”
“As a mom,” Bratt said, “it’s so easy to get caught up and feel like you’re failing. Mom guilt is a very real thing. So, I think that recognition of the good job they are doing is super important every day, not just Mother’s Day.”
But what makes a mother a mother?
“Always being there for your kids, no matter what,” Dupon said. “It doesn’t matter whether it’s in the middle of the night and they wake up crying. You have to be there, and it’s hard work, it’s like a job, but it’s worth it.”
Global News received an email regarding the “movement” started by the Oxford County Moms Club from a local resident. After speaking with Bratt and Dixon, the pair, who were unaware of the message, found out that the email had come from Dixon’s mother.
“That’s what makes a mom, always being a cheerleader for your kids, no matter how old they are,” Dixon said.
The Oxford County Moms Club will be having their next walk Wednesday at 10 a.m. in Tillsonburg, Ont.
Comments