While most parents realize that it's important to give their children opportunities to socialize, the need for "mama" time might not be as obvious.

But as local moms will tell you, a chance to socialize and talk with other parents - without the kids - is just as important."Often times we get so caught up in being so-and-so's mom, or so-and-so's wife, that we forget that we are people with goals and passions too," said Erica Mesaros, the ministry leader of Blue Mountain Community Church's BMCC MAMAS, which meets once a month and includes moms of all ages, from new parents to grandparents."Meetings like this give us a chance to relax and remind ourselves who we are," she said. "It allows us to break cycles of frustration and gives us the ability to return to our families refreshed with new tools in our parenting tool boxes."While BMCC has hosted a moms group for more than a decade, Mesaros has attended the group since 2010, when her oldest child was just 1 year old. Today, Caleb is 5 years old and daughter Kaiyah is 2. She became the leader in 2012.BMCC MAMAS typically include a time to socialize and enjoy refreshments, and catch up or introduce themselves to new members. They also include a monthly message and interactive games or activities.Mesaros initially joined after seeing that there were other moms at her church she would like to learn from."I was eager to learn, and I wanted to be the best mom I could for my child," she said."Being a parent is not easy. I believe that we all should have a mentor mom, someone who has been there and done that and lived to tell their (most of the time) amazing story."While it can be difficult for parents to find away time, many of the BMCC MAMAS have found creative ways to ensure they are available for one night per month."Our meetings are always the first Tuesday of each month during the school year," she said, noting that this reliable schedule helps many women."This gives women, who are most often the family planners, plenty of time to find child care and be able to attend. The nights we have meetings, my husband is with our children. It gives him a chance to have daddy time with the kids. They love that."Other parents have found that asking teens and young adults from their church to baby-sit allows them to attend monthly meetings."Schedule conflicts, work and lack of child care often are reasons moms can't get that much-needed time away," she added."Some of our parents run into the child care issue, but we find that the moms who are really dedicated and serious about being a part of our group somehow make it work.""We want moms to make an effort, even if it's only a few minutes a day or a lunch date with a friend once a month, to schedule that 'me' time."