Seattle Families of Multiples (SFOM) has been named a “Parenting and Online Support Finalist” in the Golden Teddy contest run by ParentMap, a Seattle resource for parents. ParentMap’s 2011 Golden Teddy Awards contest recognizes the best businesses and resources in the greater Seattle area for kids, families and parents. Readers voted from June 14 to July 14, 2011 in more than 70 categories, representing eight main areas of interest in the greater Seattle area.
“We were delighted and surprised to be recognized,” said SFOM President Carrie Lintz. “This is a tribute to how our members make a point to reach out to one another to share the joys and challenges of raising multiples.”
SFOM has a full calendar of activities, events, and gatherings for members, so the group is also active “offline.” One of the most popular events is the Sale which occurs each Fall and Spring at a local church. Members sign-up to sell their gently used clothing and gear, and the public is invited to attend for three hours on a Saturday morning, after members have shopped. The club underwrites the sale and retains 10% to cover costs. Members work at the sale and keep 90% of what they earn. “The Sale is important to members, and it benefits the public at the same time,” says Karin Herman, SFOM Sale Committee Chair. With over 60 families selling, the club helps over 400 families in a few short hours get great deals on everything from clothes to larger gear items.
The club provides a members-only website through BigTent, an online platform for community groups. Event listings, member rosters, news, and forums are organized on Big Tent. Common forum topics include “sleep advice,” “traveling with twins,” and “sibling rivalry.” The online forums are a popular place to exchange advice and share the word about great nannies, but members also like to poke a little fun. One April 1, a member posted,
We keep hearing that one of the advantages of having twins is that they eventually change each others’ diapers. Our twins are almost 15 months, an age where they like to imitate everything that we do. However, when it comes to changing their sibling’s diaper, they don’t get it. They can get it off and run around the house with it and sometimes they do try to put one on, but it is never 100%. Are they too young for this?
While some members took a few hours to get the April Fool’s Day joke, it resonated with parents of multiples who share an important common bond. In addition to sharing advice and support, humor is a powerful way to connect.
About Seattle Families of Multiples (SFOM): With a mission to share the joys and challenges of raising multiples, Seattle Families of Multiples, founded in 1963, is a non-profit membership organization for parents of multiples in the Seattle area. Run entirely by volunteers, membership includes more than 300 families. On the web at http://www.seattlemultiples.org.
About ParentMap: Based in Seattle, Washington, ParentMap provides trusted, innovative, and award-winning editorial content through a variety of media to support parents in their most essential role: that of their child’s first and most important teacher. On the web at http://www.parentmap.com