When you’re a mom, you have to balance a lot, and sometimes you just need help.
Often times parents will turn to community groups to learn and socialize with others.
“As Mister Rogers said, play is how children learn, it’s their job,” Melanie Ramsey said.
You can pretty much guarantee a room full of smiling faces. Ramsey leads the group most Thursdays and Fridays.
“Some people call it vitamin L,” she said. “You need some vitamin L in your day.”
The kids are the main characters, but it’s also for the adults.
“Everyone loves their child,” Ramsey said. “Everyone wants to have a good experience with their child.”
Storytime has become a community for many. Some moms even show up twice every week.
“It’s more about the experience. its part of their routine, their children wake up at 7 in the morning and say library, library, library!,” Ramsey said.
With all the reading, singing and dancing, parents and children create a bond, all while getting to know others.
Erin Shubik is a mother of three boys and the President of the Moms Club of Hollidaysburg-Altoona.
“I always say I found my tribe of women because were all going through the same season of life and going through the same struggles, and we’re in the trenches of motherhood so we get each other,” Shubik said.
It took a little research, but she came across the club after she had her first son and needed encouragement from other moms.
“I just kind of felt like oh my word, I love my son, but I need adult conversation, i need advice, i need help with other women to connect because i just felt like i was on an island,” Shubik said.
She likes to bring her boys to storytime. It’s a way to meet people from all over, a fun experience for a community of parents to connect.
”There’s always something for each person to say yes, the thing that I loved was here and I got to share it today with someone I care about,” Ramsey said.