Hear me out on this.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I didn\u2019t even know these sorts of things existed for everyday mamas; sure, I\u2019ve heard of conferences for mompreneurs, mommy bloggers and other business-focused conferences for women in the parenting industry, but one just for moms just like me? No clue that was a thing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But keep reading, mama, if you\u2019re looking for something more than a cabin\/beach weekend escape to fill your cup in ways that keep it full weeks after the travel is over, you may want to stay tuned for MomCon 2023<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n XO,<\/p>\n\n\n\n Amy <\/p>\n\n\n\n The local MOPS chapter<\/a> I\u2019m a part of meets twice a month and those Monday mornings are lifegiving <\/a>for so many reasons I\u2019ve shared before (hellloooo childcare and me time). So when they announced they were going to San Diego for three days for a MOPS conference and anyone was welcome, I was intrigued. <\/p>\n\n\n\n To be honest, I rather quickly signed up for the trip without giving it much thought besides beach\/no kids\/girls road trip. <\/p>\n\n\n\n I didn\u2019t know many of the other moms going from our group and to be honest had planned to keep at the edge of things as an \u201cobserver\u201d for the blog\u2013to report it all back to you guys. But mamas, once I got my conference badge and jumped into the first session, I saw how much I needed this conference without even knowing it when I\u2019d signed up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n MomCon is organized like most conferences: keynote presentations and large group lectures broken up with smaller breakout sessions and a few fun outings (mom prom) to keep things interesting, plus a showroom with vendors and products to shop. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The topics ranged from marriage, navigating adult friendships (anyone else feel like mom friendships are sometimes harder than they should be), and of course parenting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n I don\u2019t need to be a good mom, I just need to be the best mom to Maverick (you can insert your kid\u2019s name there). <\/p>\n\n\n\n Dr. Anita Phillips<\/a> (an advice columnist for Oprah) shared how she raised her two adult children with the heart to not be a \u2018good mom\u2019 for them, but by being the best mom to each of them in ways the individual kids needed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Whoa. This hit home for me and all the feelings of doubt I have after scrolling through Instagram lately with all the pediatric feeding, child psychologist and outdoor play accounts preaching best practices for parents that are well intended, but man, they make me feel insecure about being a \u2018good mom\u2019 when I\u2019m constantly questioning:<\/p>\n\n\n\n After the session back in the hotel room, I chatted with another mama about how this hit both of us so powerfully and putting the lecture into my own words to another mama made it stick and really inspired us both; If you want to learn more about this, be sure to follow Dr. Anita<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The average married couple spends less than 10 minutes per day in meaningful conversation (i.e., not about the kids or work) with their spouse.<\/p>\n\n\n\n They\u2019re only having sex twice a month. <\/p>\n\n\n\n These are the norms; these are the averages; and they both sound pretty sucky when stated in such cold facts, but I\u2019ll be honest, they\u2019re relatable, right?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Who wants average? Not me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But it\u2019s hard to excel as mommy and simultaneously be great at your marriage at the same point in life, right? <\/p>\n\n\n\n Marriage365<\/a> shared inspiration for why we should want to be better for our partners\u2013spoiler alert\u2013because it\u2019s better for our kids, too. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Yes, they presented in the ballroom incredibly, but the powerful part of their presentation came later that night, after dinner, as a few of us moms sat in the hotel hot tub sharing vulnerable, raw insights into our own relationships, our shortcomings and how we want to be more intentional about not putting our relationships at the bottom of our priority list. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Sharing in community and having heartfelt conversations with women I\u2019d previously just swapped recipes and bought homestead eggs from was lifegiving for me. <\/p>\n\n\n\n It reminded me that being vulnerable about how you\u2019re feeling as a mom is good for the soul, but also so so so good tangibly to lift each other up, because we aren\u2019t supposed to parent alone. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Having the conference as a conversation starting point created intentional space for deeper conversations than I\u2019ve gotten at a moms weekend away\/moms night out trip. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Another contributor on the trip, who has gone to MomCon three years in a row, told me she keeps coming back because it\u2019s a brainless, pre-planned moms getaway that she just has to show up for: the fellowship follows. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Towards the end of the conference during one of the large keynote sessions I realized that this was the first time as an adult (since college) I\u2019d intentionally invested time and money into a multi-day, immersive time to spend in fellowship with other Christians and recenter my heart on what matters to me in my faith. <\/p>\n\n\n\n As a child, my parents invested in this for me annually (13 summers at church camp, 2 missions trips, etc.). And I hadn\u2019t done the same as an adult for myself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As much as a beach vacation is lovely (and I\u2019ve done plenty of those), this intensive time spent in community with other Christian moms refreshed me in a deeper way that reignited my heart, mind and soul than any weekend away to the beach ever has. <\/p>\n\n\n\n MomCon 2023\u2019s location hasn\u2019t been announced yet, but I\u2019m hopeful I\u2019ll be able to make this an annual spot on my calendar.<\/p>\n\n\n\nConference set-up<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/blog.mops.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/MOMCON-blog-image-2.jpeg\")
<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\nI don\u2019t need to be a good mom | Main takeaway #1<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Most marriages are average | Main takeaway #2<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Momming is best done with others | Main takeaway #3<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/blog.mops.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/MOMCON-blog-image-3.jpeg\")
<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\nInvesting in faith<\/h3>\n\n\n\n