Lisa Kring, a conference coordinator at Kansas University, works in her office in the Kansas Union. She is one of a growing group of women in the KU Moms group, a social and support group for working mothers at KU.

Family photographs stand on display on Lisa Kring's desk at KU.

When Lisa Kring found out she was expecting another child, she decided to form her own support system.

The event services director at the Kansas Union gathered other mothers and started the KU Moms group, which meets for lunch once a month to discuss issues and situations parents face.

“I e-mailed all the moms I knew on campus and said, ‘I need some help,'” Kring says.

From the first official meeting in August, the group has grown to nearly 50 members. Attendees have children of all ages – including some attending college.

“We deal with all the same struggles, and that’s what brings us together,” says Karen Cross, dining access administrator at the Kansas Union.

Gaining reassurance from other mothers helps Cross feel less overwhelmed when she questions her own parenting decisions.

“As a mom, you can appreciate, on some level, when things don’t go right,” Kring says.

At the lunches, discussions vary, but they’ve centered on toothbrushes, pacifiers, thumb sucking and childcare providers, among others.

“The support is helpful, (and) the advice is helpful,” says Dawn Shew, adviser at the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. “But I love that I go to a meeting and I laugh.”

Although students are welcome and encouraged to attend meetings, most of the mothers who attend regularly are professionals who work on campus. This has helped working mothers gather advice from others who also are balancing a full-time job with parenting.

“I put a lot on myself, (and) I physically cannot do it all,” Shew says. “I have a Martha Stewart mentality in a Roseanne Barr world.”

In the future, Kring has planned to invite guest speakers to address group members at meetings. For the December meeting, Lori Reesor, associate vice provost for student success, will speak with group about her experience as a working parent.

“Just chatting once a month can be a good support system (for moms) who are dealing with all kinds of issues,” Kring says.