The hundreds of people I’ve met over a lifetime call me Jessica, but only three special people get to call me mom. They are part of an elite group in my life, the “Mom Club.” One could say the Mom Club is a passion project I started in my free time outside of work. My co-founder and I began this very exclusive club in 2012 with our first member, a boy. Later in 2016, we were fortunate enough to expand the club and offer membership to two more boys.
Like any organization, Mom Club had a bumpy start.
My co-founder and I were completely blindsided by the sheer amount of work and resources our first member required. As the leader of research and development in all things “baby,” I spent most of my time reading books and experimenting with different techniques. Best described as the club’s “mad scientist” era, all ideas were welcomed, hypotheses were formed, data were gathered, and systems were developed.
However, it wasn’t long before our new member petitioned for recruitment. His catchy pitch slogan was, “I want a baby brother.” Simple messaging, adorable delivery, and a heartfelt narrative – we couldn’t resist.
What no one in the organization anticipated was that two members would want to join at the same time. The twin membership was doable, but not without a complete restructure. This part of the club’s history is known as our “military” era because there was strict scheduling, early mornings, sleep deprivation, endless KP duty, and lots of projectiles. We spent a lot of time in the trenches, but one day I looked up, and there was less crying—from me, that is.
About five years ago, my co-founder decided to dissolve his membership, and the club restructured again, entering its current “Momocracy” era. In a Momocracy, members are required to respect others’ boundaries, contribute to the household, be accountable for their actions, and do their best. Members’ opinions are heard and considered in various decision-making processes, but as the founding member, my vote is the final decider.
Looking back, it fills me with such joy to think about what Mom Club has accomplished in such a short time.
We managed to take three members who couldn’t walk or even talk and turn them into people with big dreams, inspiring goals, relatable flaws, a great sense of humor, and funny bugaboos. Even though Mom Club is in its fourteenth year, I am still committed to evolving. Every day I’m learning how to be a better leader, listener, and negotiator.
Whether you’re in year one of your organization or year sixteen, I can’t wait to exchange ideas that will help all of our Mom Clubs thrive for years to come.
