Curriculum Overview
A Mom to Mom ministry that has a transformational effect on moms, entire families, and the greater church community must have curriculum designed with that purpose. The Mom to Mom curriculum will provide a substantive core for teaching and discussion because it is:
Firmly rooted in a strong biblical base while also offering practical help for struggling moms who are right “in the thick of it”
Broad enough in scope to give an essential overview of key parenting issues for busy moms with limited time and resources
Intellectually stimulating and cognizant of current trends in parenting
Presented from the perspective of an experienced mom who’s clearly “been there” and understands where today’s mothers are coming from
Designed to stimulate interaction and discussion with focused discussion questions for groups
Speaks to the heart of all moms, no matter where they are in their spiritual journey
The Administrative Curriculum
The administrative curriculum provides the information needed to implement and continue a quality Mom to Mom program. Once the ministry is in place, it is ongoing. Moms with needs will always be a reality.
Mom to Mom: Administrative Guide by Linda Anderson is a rich resource for both starting a Mom to Mom and the ongoing leadership of a group. As one Mom to Mom Team Leader put it, "this guide contains nearly everything you need to know to get started." You'll likely find yourself referring to it again and again throughout the year.
The Administrative Guide includes an overview of the mission of Mom to Mom, a planning list of people and resources needed, and valuable helps on the selection and training of Titus 2 leaders. There are also descriptions of each curriculum series as well as suggestions on enhancing curriculum and sample schedules. A CD-ROM in the back contains numerous leader helps that are print-ready or can be customized for your group. All the material has been designed to provide a clear path for a Mom to Mom Ministry while also being flexible enough to adapt to the need of individual groups.
Mom to Mom: Titus 2 Leader Guide by Linda Anderson is designed to encourage and equip each of your Titus 2 leaders (the mentor moms). It describes both the mission of Mom to Mom and the "nuts and bolts" of an ongoing ministry. It also defines the calling, role, and responsibilities of a Titus 2 leader. Included are many helpful tips on leading and nurturing a small group of moms. This is a valuable resource to be used both by each individual leader and by your group as a whole in training and enrichment sessions. You will want each of your Mom to Mom leaders to have a copy.
The Teaching Curriculum
Four sets of teaching curriculum materials are available to be used in the Mom to Mom program. Once you have used all four, we encourage you to repeat the cycle; even if a mom continues to attend a fifth (or sixth, or seventh!) year, since her children are older she is now at a different place in her mothering "career"—and the material will apply to her life in new and different ways. Furthermore, repetition is (frankly) beneficial. And the ongoing support of a Titus 2 leader and fellow moms continues to be invaluable.
Each curriculum consists of a set of video lessons with a companion Member’s Notebook that contains the lesson outlines as well as discussion questions and other resources for the member moms. The video lessons are available for purchase as DVDs on our Mom to Mom Store page or as streaming videos via our Vimeo webpage.
Heart Talk on What Really Matters consists of 12 lessons and is designed to be the core curriculum of a first-year Mom to Mom class. The sequence is intentional. It moves from the need to nurture who we are as women and wives (with special care and sensitivity to the needs of single moms in the group) to what we do as parents to how we can grow as daughters of God, building firmer spiritual foundations for our families. It is designed to be “seeker friendly,” progressing from universally held “felt needs” of moms to gradually deepening spiritual foundations.
Growing Together: Growing a Child=Growing a Mom offers 16 lessons that are designed to go deeper into God’s Word for moms, no matter where they are on their spiritual journey. The premise is that as we “grow” our children, God is growing us. The four units cover:
Personal Growth (our emotional and spiritual maturity)
Partnering Growth (our marriages)
Parenting Growth (including progress in understanding our kids better, practical perspectives on discipline, and sibling issues)
Parenting Power (power passages in scripture for moms).
Inside Out Parenting contains 16 lessons and focuses on our mission as moms—and what this looks like for 21st century moms. It grew out of input from moms throughout the country as to what their greatest challenges and biggest struggles are. There are three different units, covering:
Becoming intentional, directional, confident moms
Creating contagious Christian community
Raising kids who look like Christ—in this culture?!
Real Mom Life contains 16 lessons that encourage mothers in their every day mom jobs. The series also provides perspective on some more specific parenting situations, such as raising strong-willed children, dealing with infertility, and addressing learning challenges. We recognize that being a mom can be exhausting and sometimes frustrating. In these lessons, we talk about being a mom in the real world! There are five different units:
Mom Life (a great choice, loving your life)
Family Life (ages and stages, allowing kids to fail, screen time, in-laws)
Married Life (the marriage “dance,” opposites attract and then repel)
Community Life and Unique Circumstances (educational differences, adoption, self-esteem, strong-willed child)
God’s Grace for All of Life’s Circumstances (roots and wings, hope for the future)