Hi I am Shanna. The mother of all PNW Beer Moms. Here I will give you some insight of why I decided to start yet another mom group and why it is different and why there was a hole I felt needed to be filled. And I shall do it in the most ridiculous way I can think of, by interviewing myself.
I met myself on a Monday....errr Tuesday, turns out it is Tuesday morning, still in my pajamas as I didn't feel like hearing my toddler scream for me for the millionth time already today because I had seemingly 'disappeared'. I had plugged my oldest, fournado of a daughter, into Wildkrats because it's educational and distracting and I need her distracted. My youngest, already terrible 23 months old (that's one month shy of 2 years for you annoyed non math folks), is busy running around breaking and pouring (child proof) stuff out because she feels I have nothing better to do then clean up after her for my own sanity and her amusement. She's also still boob obsessed. The "Mommy is done, give me back my body, I'm retiring these babies when you are 2 years old" deadline, appears to be off track, considerably. So here I sit, with messy mom bun, smelly, almost caffeinated, and slouched over my computer, with two feet in my face, because my toddler has now moved into my lap for more milk and I am a chump.
Interviewer: Thanks for meeting me here today, in your dining room.
Me: You didn't give me a choice and there is "no place I would rather be".
Interviewer: It's surprisingly clean!
Me: Thanks, I've busted my ass for the last three days, also, don't go upstairs.
I: What brought you to creating another mom group in a sea of mom groups?
M: There are mom groups for everything nowadays, usually for support, but also for different sanctimommy opinions of all kinds. This is neither of those.
I: So what is it?
M: It's a social group for moms that like beer. Too often mom's feel isolated and stuck online for conversation and a sense of community. This goes for stay at home moms like myself, but also for working moms with coworkers that don't necessarily understand why they are too busy and too tired to go out and hang. Both types of mom's feel uninvited, isolated. I wanted to give one (or more) good excuse a month for moms (and myself) to get together, socially, and relax with a beer and meet other moms.
I: But why beer?
M: Before I was a mom, I enjoyed and even prided myself on being one of 'those girls' that holds her own, and knows a thing (or ten) about craft beer. I've been interested and drinking craft beer for over 12 years. Just because I am a mom now, doesn't change that, and when I go to breweries I see so many moms just like me.
I: So if the mom's are already there, why not just introduce yourself?
M: So that's the problem, I do and we have great conversations for those fleeting moments and then it is over and I may never run into them again. There have been a few I've added on social media, but 'dating' mom friends is tough with schedules and well dating of any kind is pretty awkward. PNW Beer Moms takes the awkward out of it.
I: How so?
M: We meet every third Wednesday of the month. You show up and meet other like minded moms. Mom's who also like beer and possibly make some more concrete relationships, without the "hey can I get your number" or "creep you on social media and maybe chat, but never ask you out". Instead you can just say, see you next month!
I: But you also have a Facebook group?
M: I wanted a place where we could share recommendations, add members and meet moms across the Pacific Northwest and post events.
I: Facebook mom's groups can get pretty heated, actually members in any group seem to get into heated arguments.
M: It is true, but PNW Beer Moms is not like that. There are a few 'pesky' rules about what can be posted, but mom's are there to post about beer, not see mom advice or relationship advice. But advice about beer is encouraged. I've also seen 'beer purists' in other beer groups get upset when others post about "non"craft beers. We are not like that. Yes many of us like craft beer over domestics, but it doesn't matter if you only like IPA's, or think stouts are gross, or your favorite beer is a Corona. We don't judge other moms on their beer tastes. You like beer and you are a mom, you want to be social, you're in!
I: Why just moms?
M: It's a hole I felt need to be filled for myself. I am apart of a few other women beer groups, but all too often I think, "That's a cool gal, and she is local, maybe she will meet up with me for a beer" and then I realize she is at another stage of life, she doesn't have kids and likely won't want to have a conversation around screaming and running children, or understand that I can't be as fun and fancy free.
I: What about step moms, homes with two moms, or moms who's kids are no longer at home?
M: If you are a mom with mom responsibilities in the home, you are a mom in my book. And it doesn't matter if your kids are grown. You never stop being a mom.
I: You live in Bellingham. Will all events be there?
M: I'm hoping to spread out, but this is my home base, so it's easier to start here. But I often travel to Salem/Portland and Spokane. I'd love to hold gathering there. I also want other moms to feel like they can make their own gatherings. But please remember this is my enterprise and I own it. Non affiliated groups making money off of my propriety will see legal repercussions.
I: So this is a money maker for you?
M: No, it's not. But I want to protect my brand and I can't afford to provide t-shirts and stickers for every PNW Beer Mom. Making a few bucks on swag supports my artistic endeavors for this group, and pays for the time I spend making PNW Beer Moms run smoothly. Heck, if someones buys me a beer, I'll feel like I've been "paid" for my time.
I: Anything else you want to add?
M: Not right now, I've got to go feed my kids!
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