Do all of your local mommy friends look at you like you have 3 heads when you mention cloth diapers? Have you never met another cloth diapering mom in real life? Well, as scarce as cloth-diapering moms may seem at times, we're out here... just waiting to get connected! Why not get to know some local cloth diapering Mamas?
Check out Meetup or Yahoo Groups to search for a local group in your area... one may already exist, undiscovered!
If you can't find a local group devoted to cloth diapers, why not start your own? Yahoo Groups are free, and fairly user friendly.
I personally organize my group through Meetup. I prefer Meetup to Yahoo because it's a bit more snazzy. You can customize the look, and we've had great success expanding. I started the group in November 2007, and less than a year and a half later we are up to 90 members! Imagine knowing 90 cloth diapering moms in your immediate area. And that's with me putting forth absolutely NO effort trying to find new members. With Meetup, local cloth diapering moms will find you. And no, I make absolutely no sort of commission for promoting Meetup. LOL! I just really love it!
Meetup does cost a nominal $6 per month on a 6 month subscription. This can be offset by charging small dues to members, or better yet, by finding a sponsor. Local natural businesses will often jump at the chance to sponsor a group of their target audience for such a low fee.
Why are local groups awesome? Well, besides just the sheer coolness of having real-live friends who love cloth as much as you do... you can buy, sell and trade used cloth locally with your group members. This way you can avoid destroying your hard drive by visiting a certain online community who shall remain nameless. In our group, we have fluff parties where everyone brings examples from their stash to show off. This is a wonderful way to see a myriad of brands and styles in person before you decide to buy online. The group is also an excellent resource for those who are new to cloth or thinking of switching, and would like to get tips and advice from those who are more experienced.
You can check out my group if you're in the Inland Empire area!
If you have any questions about how to start a local group, just give me a holler at ClothAndCarriers101@yahoo.com. I'd be more than happy to impart any wisdom I've gained over the last year and a half!
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Thanks! I hadn't even thought about that... although I did run into two cding families at the park the first time we went a few weeks ago lol. Completely random and I loved it!
ReplyDeleteSeriously, Mama Kalila! Isn't it like hitting the jackpot when you just happen to meet another cloth-diapering family?
ReplyDeleteGreat article Mandi! I wrote about it and linked back from Cloth Diaper News. Thanks for helping me set up my Meetup last year! Great advice. :o)
ReplyDeleteThank you so much, Kristy! I really appreciate it. I'm so glad you've had such success with your group. Don't forget... that link counts as an entry to win a free pair of BabyLegs! (See our contests page to see the details). Good luck!
ReplyDeleteSo this unnamed diaper community eats your hard drive? I had no idea. But our computer died in December. I tend to blame my husband when these things happen, but I wonder if it was me?
ReplyDeleteYep, Brandi. I have heard many, many complaints of horrible computer problems after visiting the unnamed site. It all seemed to start within the last 6 months, I would say. Of course the owner of the site is denying it, and actually being downright rude to the moms who visit this site... Saying they are just a bunch of SAHMs with no computer knowledge.
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