When my husband and I joined a PEPS group after the birth of our son, I thought that we would instantly connect as a group. Being part of the group did help us feel like we were not alone in struggling as new parents, but for me, the deeper connections have happened after the end of the weekly meetings.

One mom from my group is an entrepreneur and we talk a lot about balancing motherhood and building our businesses. I’ve shared my feelings with a parent who is also raising a mixed-race child. Another parent listened to my struggles with stress and my intentions to meditate more, and she frequently checked in to ask how I was doing. I needed her to help me feel less alone.

These connections have been essential as I learn to embrace more balance in my life.

My son is just turning one, and as I look back on the last year, I realize that the importance of these relationships has continued to grow as I grow into my role as a parent. The 12 weeks of meeting together laid the foundation for the deeper relationships to come.

It has been vital to have parent friends who I can talk to about our identities, careers, struggles, and triumphs.

PEPS has made an impact on the lives of so many new parents, and I know personally how critical this can be. I am so glad that PEPS is a growing resource for families in Renton, but I know we can do even more to reach families in south King County and beyond.

At PEPS, and with your help, we create more than 250 parent support groups each year, serving more than 3,300 new parents, that focus on social connection; just like Leilani’s group. These connections are the foundation for their child’s healthy development and their family’s wellbeing. We believe that every family deserves support.

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