With so many parents working from home now due to the pandemic (myself included), there is far less time spent interacting with other adults. Social interaction is a crucial aspect for new parents to avoid feelings of loneliness and depression, plus the stress of a career and kids creates a huge need for healthy outlets.
When my second child was born, I was able to stop working for more than a year. I could attend a playground playdate on a Thursday at 11 am or Toddler Time at the James Island Rec Center on a Monday at 10 am. However, when my first child was a baby and I was working full-time, our schedule did not allow for any of that.
One of the best memories during my early motherhood journey was taking a “sick day” during my week from my downtown courthouse job when my now eight-year-old son was six months old and doing Mommy and Baby Yoga. I felt connected not only to my son but to the other moms in that studio. I felt a different kind of unspoken support. I wanted so desperately to return to that class with him.
There are some helpful apps for moms looking for their “tribe” such as Peanut and Bumble BFF. There are also a large number of parent groups on Facebook which are usually sorted by areas of town.
The following list includes some activities that I found (with an emphasis on outdoor activities) for a traditional working parent’s schedule. I would love to see more options for social interaction for working parents in the area, including virtual/covid conscious groups, parent book clubs, and/or weekend playgroups.
Weekend and Evening Activities for Working Parents
- 6 pm, Strides 360 class with Fit4Mom in Park Circle.
- 6 pm, first Monday of the month Art Therapy at MUSC with Postpartum Support of Charleston.
Tuesday
- 6:30 pm, alternating Tuesdays, MomsNext group at the Church of the Good Shepherd in West Ashley.
Wednesday
- Until 7 pm, West Ashley Farmers Market.
- 7 pm, BodyWell class with Fit4Mom at Memorial Waterfront Park Mt. Pleasant.
- Sunset yoga on the beach with Serenity Tree Yoga, babies & little ones are welcome to join. *Tentative spring schedule
Saturday
- 8 am – 2 pm, Charleston Farmers Market downtown, (lots of open space to run and bounce houses, pre-covid).
- 8 am BodyWell class with Fit4Mom at Memorial Waterfront Park in Mt. Pleasant.
- 8:30 am, Early Morning Bird Walks at Caw Caw Interpretive Center in Hollywood.
- 9 am, Birds Parent/Child class at The Little Gym West Ashley.
- 9 am, Little Leapers (ages walking to five years) at SkyZone Trampoline Park in Mt. Pleasant.
- 9:30 am, Sea Island Farmers Market on Johns Island.
- 10 am, Beasts Parent/Child class at The Little Gym West Ashley.
- 10:30 am, Toddler Time Bees Landing Rec Center in West Ashley (ages 1-5, $2).
- 11 am, Super Beasts Parent/Child class at The Little Gym West Ashley.
- 12 pm, Funny Bugs Gymnastics class at The Little Gym West Ashley.
- 2:30 pm, 2nd & 4th Saturdays, MOPS First Time Moms group. (Virtual)
- 3:30 pm, Saturdays (current session through March 12th) Tinkergarten classes at Rosebrock Park.
Sunday
- 9:30 am or 10 am, yoga on the beach with Serenity Tree Yoga (bring those babies-especially the non-mobile ones!) *Tentative spring schedule
- 10 am, 2nd and 4th Sunday of the month, CML Superstars for children with special needs at The Children’s Museum of the Lowcountry.
- 11 am, Sunday Brunch Farmers Market at The Pour House on James Island (kids love the live music).
- 1:30 pm, 1st and 3rd Sundays of the month, Pregnancy and Postpartum Support Groups for Parents with Postpartum Support International. (Virtual)
- 7 pm, Slow Flow + Restorative Yoga Class with CCBunnell Yoga. (Virtual)
- 7 pm, alternating Sundays, Pregnancy and Postpartum Support Groups for Moms with Postpartum Support International, Virtual
Miscellaneous Days & Times
- Hike it Baby, Hikes are submitted for various days/times. Weekends/evenings hikes are very common.
- Charleston County Library’s Storytime and events are virtual currently due to covid but stay turned for their return!
- Kids First Swim School, Various options for evening/weekend group swim classes.
- Charleston County Parks has a ton of options, (although a majority of kids’ activities are for elementary school age and up).
- Charleston County Parks’ festivals and events.
*Some classes/groups do have a fee.
What a terrific guide and written with such empathetic heart. Well done!
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