I don't understand MONA

[Anonymous]

I joined MONA because eeeeveryone said it was so great. But I don't get it. My email junk folder is full of hundreds of emails per day with people trying to sell things...then telling us that they're taken. What am I missing? I have no doubt that MONA is a great resource. How do I use it better?

[Anonymous]

What is MONA? You might get more responses if you clarify your query.

[Anonymous]

Sorry, I just expected that a lot of people on DCUM would know MONA. MONA = Mothers of North Arlington.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sorry, I just expected that a lot of people on DCUM would know MONA. MONA = Mothers of North Arlington.

Nope. Try the NACISM board: "North Arlington Close-In Suburban Moms".

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I joined MONA because eeeeveryone said it was so great. But I don't get it. My email junk folder is full of hundreds of emails per day with people trying to sell things...then telling us that they're taken. What am I missing? I have no doubt that MONA is a great resource. How do I use it better?

First, I would sign up to receive your emails via the digest so they are not overwhelming your spam folder. that way you will only get 1-2 emails a few times a day with many messages listed in each email.

As for other things, there are playgroups you can join that are organized through MONA. You can find a list of people with kids in your neighborhood. They have Mothers' Nights Out. They do volunteer work that you can get involved in. I use MONA mostly to ask questions on the main listserv (separate from the marketplace where you sell things). Everything from information about household things (good plumbers, electricians, etc), and lots of queries about kid related things, too (preschools, where to buy things that are kid related). Very similar to DC Urban Moms except it is not anonymous and it is local!

[Anonymous]

Set up your membership to get the "digest" version not individual e-mails, that should cut down on all of the e-mails. It is a great resource once you get the hang of it.

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the digest suggestions! Do you recall how to access my membership in the Yahoo group? I don't typically use Yahoo so this is all confusing to me...

[Anonymous]

OP here. I think i figured it out. Reset to digest setting. I hope this helps.

[Anonymous]

Are there groups other than MONA and MONA Marketplace? Am I missing out on other activities that don't happen on these two groups?

[Anonymous]

Sorry to hijack but I am confused about MONA too. I am about to move to Arlington and I'm told I should join, but on the website it seems like it is pretty geared toward SAHMs. I work part-time but fairly "heavy" part-time (3-4 days a week). I'd still like to find things to do on my days off and meet some other moms, but I won't have the kind of time for these things that a SAHM does. Can I still benefit from MONA?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sorry to hijack but I am confused about MONA too. I am about to move to Arlington and I'm told I should join, but on the website it seems like it is pretty geared toward SAHMs. I work part-time but fairly "heavy" part-time (3-4 days a week). I'd still like to find things to do on my days off and meet some other moms, but I won't have the kind of time for these things that a SAHM does. Can I still benefit from MONA?

I am the 14:16 poster and I work full time out of the house. I still like MONA a lot mostly for what I said above - the listserv and the marketplace. I have not joined a playgroup or done any of the other activities, but it is still worth it for me to subscribe to the listserv so I can hear other moms' opinions about local things. The Board Members have also realized that more of their moms work, so they have started a committee for working moms to try to figure out how that population of the group can be better served. I know many moms in MONA who work, so I wouldn't worry about that at all.