Can You Find
Time for Extra Meetings?
Maggie Heeger
Madison, Alabama, USA
From: LEAVEN, Vol. 33 No. 5, October-November 1997, p. 120
What is the difference between
breastfeeding and weaning? For some mothers, it may be a La Leche League
meeting!
Mothers who attend LLL meetings
receive information, support, friendship and a special something that
escapes definition - but you know what it is. You've felt it yourself
and it's real. It's the feeling you get as you travel home from a particularly
invigorating meeting. You feel as though you can take on the entire
world; your batteries have been charged, maybe even supercharged.
If a Group stopped holding
Series Meetings, before long there would be no LLL in the community.
Group meetings are essential to LLL's survival. Just as essential are
the extra meetings Leaders can hold: Planning/Evaluation, Enrichment
and Chapter Meetings. Busy Leaders may think they don't have enough
time or energy but what these meetings do for Group members, Leader
Applicants and Leaders is truly remarkable.
Planning/Evaluation Meetings
are fairly self-descriptive. Attendees evaluate the effectiveness of
recent Series Meetings and plan future activities. The monthly meeting
report can be completed at this time with the Group Treasurer present
to provide figures, the Group Librarian on hand to give an update on
book circulation and co-Leaders to offer insights. Group members share
what they thought, saw and learned. You'd be surprised what these women
can offer in the line of constructive criticism and support.
Planning/Evaluation Meetings
can have a second function as well: enrichment. A specific subject can
be scheduled or a spur- of-the-moment discussion may take place. Mothers
get to know each other on a level that exceeds the Series Meeting format.
Separate Enrichment Meetings
can be planned to focus on topics outside the Series Meetings. While
Leaders still represent LLL and take great care not to mix causes or
speak rashly, Enrichment Meetings are an opportunity to relax and have
fun. Leaders can dress casually, knowing that only members will be there
- no one unfamiliar with LLL will be in attendance.
The friendships developed
at Enrichment Meetings are deep and special. They begin through shared
enthusiasm for breastfeeding and develop further based on other common
interests.
The potential for identifying
Leader Applicants is greatly increased when Enrichment Meetings are
held. Leaders are able to develop more in-depth relationships with mothers,
allowing those special leadership qualities to shine through. An Enrichment
Meeting topic can even be a discussion of the LLL leadership role.
Whether it's a Planning/Evaluation
or Enrichment Meeting (some Leaders combine the titles and call their
meetings "E and Es"), there are few ground rules.
Deciding who is eligible
to attend extra meetings is important. Some Groups make "E and
Es" a benefit of membership. Other Groups invite mothers to attend
when their babies become toddlers or after a woman has attended a full
series of meetings. The point is to invite women who are already comfortable
with what LLL believes, so meeting attendees can speak openly - something
we cannot always do at a Series Meeting when new mothers' needs come
first.
Chapter Meetings are just
for Leaders and Leader Applicants. Many Chapters include Leaders and
Applicants from neighboring Groups; Groups that don't have neighboring
Groups can have their own Chapter right in the Group. The purpose of
Chapter Meetings is to provide an opportunity to discuss Leader concerns,
Group management and Area procedures as well as form a special bond
between the Leaders and Leader Applicants in the community. There is
also an opportunity to share parenting problems and solutions.
An added benefit of these
extra meetings is that they don't involve much planning. Armed with
one or two discussion-starting questions, a Leader can usually let the
discussion at these meetings take care of itself, steering conversation
back on track every once in a while.
Yes, extra meetings do take
a bit of time, at least in the beginning. A Leader needs to be on hand
to lead the discussion. Most of the other details, however, can be taken
care of by Group members. Because of the more relaxed nature of these
meetings, sign-in sheets aren't always necessary and mothers can bring
whatever refreshments they choose.
Leader Applicants are not
only more easily recognized, but are more enthusiastic and can be more
quickly accredited when extra meetings are held. With this benefit,
extra meetings soon won't be a burden at all. A lone Leader may soon
have several co-Leaders to share responsibilities.
Extra meetings are an investment
of time and care in the Group but the payoff is large. Consider having
one extra meeting a month and see where it leads.
Page last edited Sun Oct 14 09:31:53 UTC 2007.
