Who is the “Waco mom?” I bet you’ve met her, and you didn’t realize it.
She’s the designer of local jewelry spotted all around town, GRACEFULLY; the owner of the company who taught your kids to swim, Swim Waco; and the real estate brokerage that invited you to the neighborhood, Camille Johnson, Realtors.
She’s also the car in front of you at the Common Grounds drive-thru window, the person behind you checking out at Sprouts and the lady in the dressing room next to you at The Collective. The Waco mom doesn’t just raise kids here, she thrives — thanks to the community that surrounds her.
Every Waco mom looks different and there is such beauty in their diversity. Some moms spend their morning at the riverwalk on the banks of the Brazos — pushing a stroller and carrying their favorite Oh My Juice! smoothie. Other moms rush out the door for school drop off before making their way to school themselves, ready to inspire and educate students at Waco High.
In the same way there isn’t a manual for motherhood, there aren’t boxes to check to become a Waco mom. The transformation happens naturally…gradually. And the more you allow yourself to be molded by the city that surrounds you, the more easily things fall into place.
What I’ve realized since moving here in 2015, is Waco moms want to welcome you where you are. What do I mean by that exactly? Well, this city specializes in finding ways to make you feel included — whether you are a brand-new mom, or you’re seasoned at the gig and recently earned the title “grammy.”
When I had my first baby in 2021, I wasn’t sure where or how I would find my footing. We had moved away from our entire family years prior, and I longed for the deep, strong community that others bragged about. What I didn’t expect was to find relationships in my new city that felt more like home than home did.
Putting myself out there has allowed me to stumble upon a few fantastic groups of women. Women at my office who have passed along their hand-me-downs, offered seasoned advice and are always willing to play with my kids when I bring them to work with me. Women at my kids’ school who commiserate with me about what to pack for lunch, show up to every birthday party with a smile and never judge me for how I look at drop-off each morning. Women whose husbands work with my husband and who choose connection with me by meeting once a month for dinner regardless of our chaotic schedules.
Waco doesn’t care what kind of mom you are; it just wants you to find comfort in however you are doing things. Whether you’re sitting in the children’s section of Fabled, alone, with all three of your kids wandering through the secret Narnia wardrobe for the 50th time, enjoying a coffee from Magnolia Press while your teens play wiffle ball on the Silo grounds or you’re visiting your college freshman for Baylor Family weekend — you are a Waco mom…and you are welcome here.
