Raising a child is a tiresome and expensive responsibility.
Raising multiples at the same time requires a lot of parental energy, but thanks to organizations like the Twins, Triplets, and More Association of Calgary (TTMAC), navigating that new chapter has become easier.
The association is built around the needs of parents of multiples by offering a wide range of essential services that support them throughout this new adventure.
Carmen Morrison, TTMAC’s office administrator, works closely with all association members.
She sets up new members and helps facilitate everything that comes through the doors.
“TTMAC offers all these free donations of clothes for our members. Clothes, toys, books, etc. You can come in and get as much as you need as many times as you want,” said Morrison.
Not only can members take whatever they need, but they also donate. Some even bring in gifts they did not use, like bassinets, cribs, and baby bottle warmers, for others to take home.
The association has set aside a small amount of money to help people who are desperate and in financial trouble, especially during the holidays.
“You get a grocery gift card and several gifts for all your kiddos… You can apply to have your ENMAX bill paid or winter coats purchased,” said Morrison.
As a parent of a set of 14-year-old boys herself, she knows how hard it is raising kids, and she remembers getting hugged a lot by returning members.
“I just have people come back after they’ve been members for about a year and tell me how scared they were of having babies. How talking to me really calmed them and made them feel more confident, made them feel less alone and good,” said Morrison.
In addition to physical items, they offer survival strategy sessions in which parents of two- and three-year-olds share their experiences with new parents about what to expect in the following year.
They also partner with other organizations to provide more services.
“We work closely with the Children’s Cottage Society and Families Matter, both agencies here in town that help families. We partner with them for playgroups, and we also share clothing donations, and then also reach out for parenting classes,” said Morrison.
While Morrison runs the office, Carling Laidlaw, the association’s president, oversees the behind-the-scenes operations.
“I get the complaint emails and the human resource issues; I also get to come help do the Christmas hampers. And last year I actually got to help deliver them,” said Laidlaw.
The association began when someone placed an ad seeking to connect mothers of multiple children. For the first meeting, five moms got together.
First, they called it the Calgary Twin and Triplet Club.
Then, it changed it to the Calgary Parents of Multiple Birth Association, and officially incorporated it in 1971 as TTMAC.
The association currently has 500 registered and active members in the Calgary area and wishes to add more in the coming years.
Morrison is pleased to remain in her role and does not expect to leave it anytime soon.
“I’m not sure I could do a different job after this. Like, I think we help people all the time. So to go back to a corporate oil and gas accounting desk job feels not fulfilling compared to this,” said Morrison.