Put simply, we are a group of mothers. That is our common bond. We believe that mothering is an important and demanding occupation. We realize that being a mother is a job with good and bad experiences which bring on conflicting feelings. We believe that each mother needs to know that she is not alone. She has friends who care about the job she is doing and how she is feeling.

We offer a place for sharing, listening, learning, and supporting one another. We try to determine some of the common challenges and crises of mothering, and help each member maintain her self-esteem. We believe it is important to grow and learn, through a free and confidential exchange of ideas and current information on child-rearing and other topics.

We are non-judgmental in our attitudes toward various methods of birthing and child-rearing. We do not advocate any one method. This allows for a great diversity of opinion on many topics, which we value. While there may be issues in our community to which Mothers’ Center wishes to speak as a group, we ask that members not make any public statement representing AMC without prior approval of the Steering Committee.

We are a non-hierarchical, volunteer-run organization. Since there are no elected or appointed positions, there is ample opportunity for the abilities of all women to be utilized and appreciated. We believe that the feelings, opinions and beliefs of each woman are important; therefore all decisions are made by a consensus of the members. Members are encouraged to participate to the fullest extent they can. A feeling of belonging and connection to the group develops most easily through regular weekly attendance. Although we realize mothering priorities often make that difficult, we encourage each member to view Mothers’ Center as a “refueling” place for mothers, too.

Each member bears some of the responsibility for AMC’s success. AMC is a fluid entity. We can make it whatever we want, so if there is something you wish we could have or if you would like to see something done differently, feel free to bring it up for discussion. Open and honest communication is essential to the success of the group.