The Real Moms of Snohomish County

Who are we?
“Being a mom is easy. I get to nap, take long showers and exercise daily,” said no REAL mom ever. Being a mom is nothing like we thought it would be. It’s hard. Sleep deprived days followed by sleep deprived nights, especially in the beginning. It is laundry, cooking, cleaning, school pickups and sick kids. The days of napping, long showers and a daily exercise routine feels like an unrealistic dream drummed up by our prior childless selves. But it is also, much more than we could have ever dreamed. From the feeling of holding OUR baby for the first time, to the first smile, the first laugh and then somehow, the first day of school. It is truly a love we have never felt before. An attachment that can’t be described. And for that, we easily wipe every snotty nose, are up every hour of the night and skip on our needs for theirs.
But we also know, deep down, that in order to give our all to our children, we must also take care of US. And that is where Mom’s club comes in. Although we are there first and foremost for our children; through play dates, story time, crafts, field trips, family events, philanthropy and holiday parties. We are also in this club for OUR socialization. Whether it be a Mom’s night out (MNO) to a local winery, book club at another Mom’s home or parent’s night out (PNO) to the local bowling alley. We are a supportive, nonjudgemental and diverse group of women who are there for one another. We belong to the group, because it’s an outlet. And it’s a safe place to be ourselves.
So, whether you are an expecting mom, a first-time mom or a mom of a squad, please come join us! We are very excited to meet you 

Where do we meet?
We meet mostly in South Snohomish County in areas such as Mill Creek, Bothell, Lynnwood and Everett. Our venues include Willis Tucker Park, Mill Creek Town Center, Bothell Landing, and Country Village, among many others.

What do we do?
We have tons of activities that include:
Exercise Events (trails/stroller friendly walking, dancing for moms, swimming, “mom and tot” runs, and Elevated Sportz get-togethers for the little ones).
Playdates at the park, in-home or at indoor playgrounds, children's museums, kid friendly coffee shops, etc.
Field trips to places like the Fire Station, Children’s Theater, Children’s Museum, Museums, Zoo and pumpkin patches to name a few.
Book Clubs, plus a discussion meetup and online discussions.
Moms' Nights Out such as trivia night at a local pub, bowling, dinner and a movie, karaoke, casino nights, pamper parties, and so much more as well as game nights and craft nights at members' homes.

How do you join?
Simply click “join now." and remember to join our Facebook group too!!

Is there a fee?
Yes, there is a $30.00 annual fee. The joining fee is due within 30 days of becoming a member and is non-refundable. We suggest that you attend one of our many events prior to committing. If after attending a meetup you decide this group isn’t a good fit for you, simply leave the group. All proceeds from the membership fees go first toward the expense of subscribing to Meetup.com, and then all remaining monies go towards playdate supplies such as crafting materials, a summer BBQ, and a family holiday celebration.

What rules do we play by?
To keep our group active and connected, we do have some guidelines.
-Please respect all attendees whether it be on online, on messaging, on meetup, at play dates, MNO etc. We want this to be a fun, welcoming group, full of diversity and positivity for EVERY mom.
-This is a women’s club. No exceptions.
-You must live in or near Snohomish County. We typically have meetups around the South Snohomish County area.
-You must attend a minimum of one playdate a month.
-Requests WITHOUT a current photo of yourself will not be accepted.
-You must attend at least one public playdate or event during your trial to be eligible for membership. (In-home play date attendance during your trial will be the Hostess’s decision).
-Dues are non-refundable $30/year. They are due at the end of your trial and annually thereafter.

Commonly Asked Questions
What do the membership dues pay for?

1. Meetup fee: $208 every year. They take about 5% fee of all money collected. Real Moms Parties (including clubhouse rental, event insurance, craft supplies for kids, goodie bag for kids, garbage bags, napkins, plates & silverware, etc.)
2. Craft supplies: two craft boxes that are available to any member who would like to host a craft playdate.
3. Tableware: Plates, cups, silverware to use for parties. Summer Family BBQ (including shelter rental, hot dogs, buns, soda, condiments, napkins, silverware, etc.)

Why do you keep the group small?

1. Sense of Community: We keep the group to around 75 members in order to create a community of moms and kids who can see the same people out at events. If there are a couple hundred people in the group and only six are allowed at each playdate, it would be difficult to see the same familiar faces and get to really know anybody.
2. Fairness: It wouldn’t be fair to those who don’t get emails on their smartphone right away when a meetup is scheduled, and don’t end up finding out about a meetup until it is already full. Those with the best access to the calendar would dominate all the meetups with limited RSVP space.
3. Management: It is difficult to keep tabs on a very large group of people. At a public playdate, for instance, it is too overwhelming for an organizer to try to find and welcome ten or more moms. It is also overwhelming and often irritating to the program instructors and regulars (especially at an indoor venue) when a large group that they are not expecting shows up and takes over the place. In addition to this, because of the guidelines, it is very time consuming for an organizer to monitor the attendance and contact so many moms.

What are the attendance guidelines/requirements and why do you have them?
Members are required to attend at least one meetup event per month. If they do not, they may be removed from the group.

1. Reasons: Sense of Community- As explained above, to have a chance to get to know the moms and kids in the group and regularly see the same people.
2. Safety- If a member does not come to any events, there is no way to be sure that the person is who they say they are. Anybody can put a picture up on a profile and say they are a mother. Women in the group often post personal information on our site, i.e. their husbands are going to be out of town and that they will be home alone with their kids all week. We also post pictures of our kids and post where we will be with those kids and at what time. This would be very unsafe information to put out there to strangers who may not be who they say they are.
3. Wait List – Because we keep the group small, there are often several moms waiting to get in. If a member is not going to make use of the group, we would like to give another mom who could benefit from the group a chance to try it out.

Attendance Requirement:
Members must call or message the organizer of a meetup if they have to cancel the day of an event. If a member does not show up for an event they have RSVP’d for, or cancels the day of without notifying the organizer of that meetup, they will be marked as a no show. If a member accumulates three No Shows, they may be removed from the group.
Reasons:

1. Management – Organizers are required to find, welcome, and introduce new members to the other members in attendance. If the member does not show, the organizer wastes a great deal of their meetup trying to track down the new girl. We want all members to get credit for coming and to meet and get to know everyone.
2. Organizer Retention- If the meetup is in the home, often times, organizers spend time and/or money on cleaning and preparing their homes, crafts, food, activities, and so on for the event they are hosting. They prepare for the number of kids who are expected to attend, and when several people cancel, the supplies/time spent/money spent, etc. goes to waste. This is very discouraging to our organizers and is the biggest reason that we lose them.
3. Courtesy – There are sometimes people on a waitlist who would have liked to go to an event, but didn’t sign up or are on the waitlist. If a member cancels last minute or just doesn’t show up, that takes the opportunity away from another mom/kid who would have enjoyed the experience. Please show courtesy to your organizers and fellow members.

How do I host a meetup?
If you would like to host a meetup in your home, you must have been an active member of the group for at least one month. This gives other members the chance to meet you at other events and will be more likely to attend your in home event. You then need to email any organizer and they would be happy to set it up for you. If you have an idea for a meetup in a public place, you will need an organizer in attendance. All of our meetups must have an organizer there to find people, get to know them, and take attendance. Just email any organizer, and your meetup will be set up for you.

How do I become an organizer?
If you are interested in becoming an Assistant Organizer for the group, contact Sarah Arrington the main Organizers. They can be reached through email, phone or meetup up messages. Organizers are required to have been active members of the group for at least two months, and must organize AT LEAST one meetup event per month and update the attendance for that meetup when it has ended.

If I organize my own Mom’s group, can I join yours?
We prefer not to have Organizers or Co-organizers of other Mom’s groups join The Real Moms of Snohomish County. It takes a great deal of time and work to find/schedule/and organize meet-up events. By keeping the meet up groups separate it enables each group to have its own unique activities to accommodate its members.

Please contact us if you have any questions.