The MaMa’s Behind MaMa Sisterhood

DC Area Booming Mom Group

MaMa Sisterhood is a rapidly growing community of moms, building lasting relationships through weekly meetups and activities.  Kendra and Kira are the dynamic duo behind the MaMa Sisterhood PG County and Washington DC chapters. Moms with Tots (MWT) sat down with the two moms to chat about family/work balance, kids, and the membership boom of the MaMa Sisterhood.

MaMa Sisterhood started as Prince George’s County based, weekly mommy meetup group, started by wife and mother, Leah Dwyer early 2014.  Not long after, Dwyer handed over leadership of the group to the nervous hands of Kendra and Kira, at that time complete strangers, due to her family unexpectedly relocating. The two women met the challenge head on and by January of 2015, MaMa Sisterhood community had exploded and a new DC Chapter was formed.

Kendra, an entrepreneur, wife and mother of 2 daughters, is no stranger to maintaining a work/family balance. From managing the group, operating two businesses, New Day Mobile Spa and Fundamental Play, Kendra’s days are pretty full. As a child, she and her sister, worked in their uncle’s bakery which she accredits her sense of family, entrepreneurship and hard-work mentality.

Kira, a Buffalo native and Howard University alum, spends most of her day as an educator. She is the mother of a 2 year old daughter and a newlywed. Kira has a rich background in theology and ministry, but opted for a career that would allow her the flexibility to spend time with her family. “Investing in relationships” is important to her, which is one reason she joined the group. In her words, “The more strangers the better.” If you ever join MaMa Sisterhood, you’ll find her leading fitness challenges and encouraging other moms to get active.

MWT: How do you foster community and ensure that the mission of MaMa Sisterhood is being fulfilled?

Kira: A variety of meetups and activities that suit the needs and wants of the moms. Not only do we provide resources but our goal is to always build community. Many families in our group do not have relatives in the area so it’s here where we create family.

Kendra/Kira: We also help to build genuine relationships among one another. We strategically pick our venues and activities to ensure that the moms can connect. Each time we go out and my daughter notices one of her friends is missing, she immediately asks me where they are. We know that all the moms may not be as tight-knit as we are but we hope that they will find friends within our community along the way.

MWT: How did the group get so large?

Kendra and Kira: We don’t know. It went from a let’s say 100 members to over 400 in a matter of months. Now we have over 800 members.

MWT: Did Leah get to experience the growth?

Kendra: It was kind of crazy because Leah didn’t move as soon as she intended so we were able to share in the success and growth of the group together.

MWT: How do you find the balance for work, home and MaMa Sisterhood?

Kendra: At times I don’t even think I am successful in balancing it all, said Kendra. It is very important for me to have a strong home foundation and tons of support from my husband. We alternate in taking care of and entertaining our daughter. After dinner I take a few conference calls and do a few things on the computer while my husband gives her a bath. When they are all done, I spend time with her until she falls asleep. When it comes to meetings for Mama Sisterhood, we setup play-dates with the girls while we handle business.

Kira: I separate my life into pockets, like marriage, parenting and household. I try to be present for each because I’m needed in different ways all at the same time. I am a heavy scheduler and have a habit of planning. For instance, I plan meals a week in advance. It eliminates having to go into the grocery store in the evenings, which can be crazy. I want to spend time with my family so planning works for me. We stay in our lanes as far as chores go; he does a lot of the cleaning and I do most of the cooking.

MWT:  Any tips for parents getting their preschoolers ready for school?

Kira:

1) Be cautious; we often hear parents talk about the early entry exam for those children with late birthdays. Although it can be hard to hear “they need to wait another year,” every child is different, it’s not just about how smart they are, confidence plays a major role.

2) Reading is Important – It is never too early to start reading with your children. I’ve seen that children who are reading by the end of Kindergarten typically do well in the following years. There is a big jump between 2^nd and 3^rd grade reading so getting reading skills up to par early on really helps.

MWT: What does the future look like for MaMa Sisterhood?

Kendra/Kira: We will be expanding and building the MaMa Sisterhood community. We can’t wait to share more details in the upcoming months.

I am a member of the MaMa Sisterhood and am often amazed by the amount of support from the group. From questions about baby rashes to preparing for the first family road trip, we talk about everything. Be sure to check out the MaMa Sisterhood Facebook pages and join the community.

Join Mama Sisterhood of PG County or Mama Sisterhood DC on Facebook