Mommy Business Cards

keesh88

Hello,

I overheard a parent that had given birth to a baby 3 months ago saying she carries around her own business card to swap with other mommies at the playground. It must make it easier to arrange dates and coffee

I thought it was a great idea, as she would be attending a lot of meetings and meeting new people with the same experiences as herself

Just a thought I thought I might share x

axel rose

Sorry my first reaction was along the lines of GOOD GOD NO!!!!!.

Not only does it smack of yummy mummy crassness that I am allergic to but I would never arrange to meet with a complete stranger, regardless of the fact that they have a child too.

I have images of the competitive parenting conversations that would go on...........'Xavier speaks Latin and Spanish-Its so useful whenever we go to South America. Is your son picking his nose and eating it??'

Das Kitty

I always took numbers when I was on maternity leave. We had a fairly substantial group going by the end. To be honest I don't know how I'd react had I been given a mummy business card. Seems excessive in the age of mobile phones.

keesh88

The cards would serve many different functions for today's modern mothers.
They could be handed to new acquaintances at a playground, for example, it can forge new connections for mothers and children alike.

A home business can also be represented, as can contact details for babysitters. Not a bad idea at all

Morag

We can exchange phone numbers and social networking info with out that.
Tbh it reeks of New York and London women who feel they need the same etiquette in the play ground and baby and toddler group as they do in business.
If someone was to try and give me a Mommy card esp if it was related to trying to push something like a a home business or babby sitting then I would treat it like any other leaft let touting for business and say no thanks.

metrovelvet

A lot of people in places like NY carry cards with their contact info on it. Its not a pretentious thing, just practical instead of scrounging around for a pen and bits of paper.

Morag

We ain't in new york, and it's as easy to bluetooth your info if you want to another phone or swap phone numbers with out a card.

enniscorthy

keesh88 wrote: »

The cards would serve many different functions for today's modern mothers.
They could be handed to new acquaintances at a playground, for example, it can forge new connections for mothers and children alike.

A home business can also be represented, as can contact details for babysitters. Not a bad idea at all

go for it mate

ztoical

metrovelvet wrote: »

A lot of people in places like NY carry cards with their contact info on it. Its not a pretentious thing, just practical instead of scrounging around for a pen and bits of paper.

That's because alot of americans are still allergic to text messaging. Honestly when was the last time you had to dig for a pen and paper to give someone your mobile number or email in Ireland [or anywhere in Europe]?

How Strange

I find the concept a bit contrived; a bit like the idea of 'play dates'. Everything seems so planned these days. Why don't mums just exchange phone no's or arrange meet for coffee without the need to swap business cards?

ElleEm

How Strange wrote: »

I find the concept a bit contrived; a bit like the idea of 'play dates'. Everything seems so planned these days.

+1

The "Business" card thing seems a bit wierd to me. It seems really impersonal too, very American in that "Call me" type way.
Also, I much prefer to stick numbers straight into my phone. A business card would get lost in my giant handbags. And I don't have kids, so I can imagine mis- placing a business card would more common to people who have huge baby changing/ toy bags.

goz83

At least you wouldn't spell their name incorrectly "if" you decided to put it into your mobile. Scroll through your mobile phone now and I bet you won't have the faintest idea who one or two, or more of the people are. Most likely because you put in someones number to be courteous at the time. A business card can be put in the paper bin if you decide you don't need the contact info. Who cares about London and NY? Most peoples perceptions of these places are just from watching TV anyway. And play dates are a practical way for busy mums to socialise with other busy mums. This is a male perspective by the way.

ztoical

goz83 wrote: »

At least you wouldn't spell their name incorrectly "if" you decided to put it into your mobile. Scroll through your mobile phone now and I bet you won't have the faintest idea who one or two, or more of the people are. Most likely because you put in someones number to be courteous at the time. A business card can be put in the paper bin if you decide you don't need the contact info.

Can't that really be said for any perons number you put in your phone? I've a very hard to spell name that looks nothing like it sounds and alot of people have told me they spell it phonetically in their phone and I'm fine with that. When I hand my business card to people [in relation to my work;)] people often stare at the name and make a note on the card. I've loads of people in my phone that are "Jill green jumper studio 9' or the one thats 'Guy bad shoes' I know who everyone in my phone at least who they are in relation to how I know them and what business I have with them while I've 8 business cards in my wallet and couldn't tell you when or where I came by them. Just as quick to delete a number from your phone then to chuck a card in bin.

goz83 wrote: »

Who cares about London and NY? Most peoples perceptions of these places are just from watching TV anyway. And play dates are a practical way for busy mums to socialise with other busy mums. This is a male perspective by the way.

Well I currently live in London and lived in New York for 4 years. Just did a quick poll around my production office to 4 people with kids under 3....mummy business cards would you do it? Eh No from them all, they'd just stick the numbers in their phones, digging out business cards far too much effort as they are working full time. Mummy business cards/play dates etc sound like something a mum from Kensington or Mayfair who doesn't work and has too much free time on her hands.

goz83

ztoical wrote: »

Mummy business cards/play dates etc sound like something a mum from Kensington or Mayfair who doesn't work and has too much free time on her hands.

Perhaps. But, perhaps others have too much spare time in the office?

My point in relation to accepting a business card was not tied to keeping it in your hand-bag. I was trying to point out that you could choose to add the entry to your phone later if you so choose to, rather than entering a name/number and then forgetting about it two minutes later. You seem to have an ususaul way of labelling people in your phone, which sounds effective, but maybe your colleagues could try to see if they know every number in their phone, or if perhaps some were entered as an act of courtesy?

Also my wife is a full-time teacher and we have 3 kids (7, 4 & 2months). Playdates are the easiest way for her to socialise with women who have similar age kids. Very little time on our hands means play dates are a good thing. We live in Dublin, not London, NY, or Mayfair. I don't think she would ever use a mummy business card though.

ztoical

goz83 wrote: »

I was trying to point out that you could choose to add the entry to your phone later if you so choose to, rather than entering a name/number and then forgetting about it two minutes later.

Your just as likely to take a business card and forgot about that two minutes later or loose it as you are to forget about a number you've entered in your phone. Most current mobile phones let you create groups in your address book and you can create a mummy group or if thats not an option then just add it to the name. Anyone I meet off boards I usually enter boards as their surname. You go the park and get 10 business cards are you seriously going to be able to remember who is who any easier then entering their names and numbers in your phone?

goz83 wrote: »

if perhaps some were entered as an act of courtesy?

And people wouldn't take business card just as an act of courtesy?

MagicMarker

keesh88 wrote: »

The cards would serve many different functions for today's modern mothers.
They could be handed to new acquaintances at a playground, for example, it can forge new connections for mothers and children alike.

A home business can also be represented, as can contact details for babysitters. Not a bad idea at all

You're right, it's not a bad idea. It's a retarded idea.

I mean seriously, mommy business cards? How far up your own ass do you have to be?

pickarooney

What exactly is a play date? Is it just your kids' friends coming over to play or is there something else involved?

Morag

pickarooney wrote: »

What exactly is a play date? Is it just your kids' friends coming over to play or is there something else involved?

Pretty much or agreeing to go some where like the park and meet up.
Some people have such scheduled lives that they have to make a date to get the kids to play with other kids.

goz83

ztoical wrote: »

Your just as likely to take a business card and forgot about that two minutes later or loose it as you are to forget about a number you've entered in your phone. Most current mobile phones let you create groups in your address book and you can create a mummy group or if thats not an option then just add it to the name. Anyone I meet off boards I usually enter boards as their surname. You go the park and get 10 business cards are you seriously going to be able to remember who is who any easier then entering their names and numbers in your phone? Everyone should be able to use a business card if they choose, without being snubbed as perhaps "someone with too much time". I could say the same for you if you can conduct polls at work, which I doubt is your job description. I personally have four different business cards, as i have three different businesses. One for photography, one for my building company, one for therapy and a final one with just my name and number. Each card shows a different part of me.



And people wouldn't take business card just as an act of courtesy?

I can't believe this has become a debate. How sad. I think it is stretching into fantasy to think that you might be offered more than one and at a push, two business cards on any occasion in the park. And you might lose the business card if you put it into the black hole, which is your oversized handbag. Hell, you might even lose your phone, or your baby in there if you're that unorganised. A business card would usually be put into a purse, or wallet, where it won't go missing so easily. Again, you can choose later to keep it, or bin it. Then at least you have actually made a conscious decision of your own accord, without major external influences, to put the information (from the card) into your phone, or into the bin. Assuming you have not taken 10 business cards, it shouldn't be that difficult to remember who gave it to you and why you might have accepted it. If that's too much to take on board, then you should use the video function on your phone to aid with the gaps in your memory. If business cards had no purpose, then why do they exist? Business people recognise that a business card is not only a very effective way to pass on your contact information, but can also be used as a means to describe a company, or an indiviual. That's a bit more powerful than a number entered into a phone with "old man on bench". You might wonder why you entered his number on your phone in the first place. But the old mans business card might have actually said what he does, or who he is....something you're not likely to write into your phone on the spot. I think you can agree that much at least.

I would have been interested to know if your colleagues (the ones participating in your office polls) had numbers they didn't recognise (i know they likely do unless they use green jumpers and bad shoes to describe others), but then I might have to read another pointless and argumentative post from you. Have a nice day.

axel rose

I think its the pretentiousness that gets on my nerves. First of all I am Irish, living in Ireland. This makes me a MAMMY/MAM, if my son ever refers to me as mom/mommy, he will most definitely be ignored.

Secondly being a parent is not a profession, so why the business card? If an adult tried to hand me a business card as a MOMMY, I'd think her to be a bit of an d1ckhead and would avoid her for the rest of my life.

I hate competitive and pretentious parenting (you may have picked this up already though ).

analucija

That's somebody with nothing better to do. And I hoped yummy mummy nonsense is dead.

Cat Melodeon

I'm a freelancer so if needs be I give someone my business card - free advertising! I think I've only ever done this once outside of a business setting and it was because the person I was giving it to didn't have their mobile on them and wanted my email address as well as my phone no. I felt a bit posery handing it over. She went 'oooh, look at yooou!'. I went scarleh. Embarrassing. No, I can't imagine using a 'mommy card' for 'play dates'. Usually I get a text message and a few mins later a pile of kids land into my garden to eat worms and throw dead leaves at each other. I usually put the dogs out to watch over them and me and scummy mummy#2 hit the vodka for an hour or two*. No deaths yet.

*This part isn't true. We drink tea and eat Marietta biscuits. Not a latte or cupcake in sight.

CrazyRabbit

If handing out these cards works for you, then do it. If not, then don't.

If you recieve one of these cards, either keep it or bin it.

Is it really such a big deal?