Atlanta moms open up at 2nd Annual Momtourage Official Tea Party
Dressed pretty in pink, a small group of Atlanta mothers convened to share the good, the bad and the ugly.
They gathered for the 2nd Annual Momtourage Official Tea Party on Sunday at a cute, two-story event house in the city.
Dozens of moms came out in tasteful hats, gloves and other pink and white shades of tea party attire. While it was an opportunity for them to get dressed up, the event provided an empowering platform for moms.
Kristine Robinson, the founder of Momtourage Official, hosted the moms-only event. Her motivation was giving mothers a chance to mingle and connect.
“Last year, I said, ‘OK, I’m not doing this anymore,'” Robinson said of executing the 2018 Tea Party. “Then, I realized how many moms I touched, how many lives were touched by the event. …I had stopped from November to March, I didn’t promote anything. Everybody was DMing me like, ‘When are you coming back? What’s going on with Momtourage?’
“That really gave me the drive to do what I needed to do.
Robinson, who has a 2-year-old daughter, moderated a panel of five area mompreneurs who provided refreshing transparency.
The discussion included self care, dating with children and working around labels and mom bashing. The diverse panel opened up about the beauty and challenges of motherhood, too.
“The reason I don’t stress about it too much is because I know it won’t last forever,” said panelist Samantha Banks, a consulting agency owner and mom of four.
“Cherish the moments,” she added. “Eventually, I’ll have my time.”
While many of the panelists admitted they enjoy a day at the salon or masseuse when they need a break, they encouraged moms not to feel guilty about taking a few moments for themselves.
“If you can’t be the best you you can be, you can’t be the best mom you can be,” said women empowerment mompreneur Abby Roselynn as the women in the room enjoyed refreshment, drinks and products ranging from beauty to early childhood education from nearly a dozen vendors.
Vendor tables outlined the space, including Shamari Walker from Ginger Galore. Though the young business owner is not a mother, she commended all those in the room at the end of the panel.
The tea she recommended for moms was her ginger-infused Matcha Me tea, “because its really good for boosting your metabolism and energy. And it’s sweet, and everybody loves sugar.”
The Momtourage Tea Party sold out this year. Robinson said she increased her marketing efforts to reach more mothers, who started Sunday by enjoying a couple of icebreakers and mellow music.
“I feel like we don’t get to (dress up) enough,” Robinson said. “So I always like to dedicate, now, one day of the year where I’m like, ‘OK moms, drop your babies where ever they gotta go, get cute, get pretty and feel good.’
“Let’s bond over being moms.”
Taeneka Dasean, an attendee and mom of three, will definitely be back for Year 3.
“I loved seeing moms get together. I loved us empowering each other,” she said. “It’s something literally just for us. It is important. It’s a part of self care. It’s a part of your tribe. Like, it’s necessary.”
Momtourage’s next event will incorporate the little ones, as Robinson is planning a painting in the park event on Aug. 24.