Dear Mama,
365 days a year, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. That is how much time you spend making a BIG job seem small. Motherhood looks different for us all, but the physical, emotional and mental load looks the same. The days can be long, but the years are short. We can’t change time, but we can and should hit pause to celebrate some of our most important accomplishments, our children and the hard work that all adds up to becoming the mother you are today. We see and listen to one another’s struggles, successes, and strife, but do we stop and tell even our closest Mamas, you are doing great. Keep going.
Too often it can feel as if we are facing the joys and challenges of life and motherhood as individuals, when the truth is, our community is out there waiting for us. Enter Backyard Players & Friends.
Backyard Players & Friends is an inclusive arts-based community program. Over the last few years, we have opened the doors to our own ‘Backyard’ space in the heart of Rockville Centre, as well as two additional storefronts: ‘Love, Nana,’ a community service project & ‘Front Porch Market,’ which features goods and artwork from neurodiverse entrepreneurs.
Since opening the ‘Porch’ doors, we have met many young families in our community. ‘Extra Lucky Moms’ inspired us to create our own space for ‘mamas’ to meet, share their experience, and brainstorm ideas of how to encourage inclusion in the next generation. BYP is so excited to welcome ‘Extra Lucky Moms’ into our ‘Backyard’!
This Mother’s Day weekend we hope you’ll join us as we celebrate the release of ‘Dear Mama’, a book of honest, vulnerable and hopeful letters from mothers in the disability community. Published by Jessica Quarello and Taryn Lagonigro, founders of ‘Extra Lucky Moms’. The event was designed by Mamas keeping in mind the relaxing setting we all need. Together we will listen to excerpts from the book, have an opportunity to write letters to yourself or a ‘Mama’ of your choice, shop together, meet new friends, and so much more.
We hope you will join us in the ‘Backyard’, taking the time you deserve this Mother’s Day weekend.
With appreciation and gratitude,
Extra Lucky Moms & Backyard Players