Message understands that families today come in many forms. For that reason, we welcome as members individuals who are:

• Navigating fertility treatments or pregnancy loss

• Part of blended families

• Legal guardians raising children

• Grieving the loss of a child

• Building families in non-traditional ways.

If you have any questions about the resources available to you, given your family situation, please email: supportvp@messageparis.org to get more information.

While Message offers an amazing variety of resources for expectant parents and parents of babies and toddlers, that is not all we offer. We want to support our members at every step of their parenting journey! Message provides a variety of groups, events, and opportunities to connect with other local parents.

We have groups for parents of little kids, tweens & teens, and beyond. We host popular events for families with kids of all ages, like the Halloween trick-or-treat and the spring egg hunt. Our members include individuals who are still working to build their families, those who have little kids in school, and those with grown-up kids. Wherever you are as a parent, you are welcome in Message!

Message is open to English-speaking parents of all nationalities. Our members come from the UK, the US, France, Ireland, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Italy, South Africa, India, Singapore and Russia, to name a few! Over 60 countries are represented in Message and in addition to English, we speak over 20 other languages. Within Message, you'll also find groups and events where members get together to speak their native languages or celebrate special cultural holidays.

It's never too late to join Message! Many of our members have been in France for years, but are newly expecting or parenting. Others have moved to the Paris area and are looking to connect with other local parents. Still others have been members for many, many years, and may have older kids. No matter what stage you are in your parenting journey, Message can enrich your life. Whether it is community you seek, parenting advice, support during a challenging period, volunteer opportunities, networking, or access to a wide variety of family resources, the Message community is here for you.

Our members are parents or expecting parents in a variety of situations. Some are on contracts for a year or two, but most have made the Paris area their permanent home. Some are not working during parental leave or are stay-at-home parents, while still others work, volunteer, or have their own businesses. Message has activities in the evenings and on weekends, as well as on weekdays, and a variety of opportunities for parents and expecting parents to network and connect with other local families.

There is no requirement to volunteer, though as we operate with no paid staff, we encourage everyone to get more involved with Message at some point. We have a range of opportunities available, no matter your availability or skill set. You can volunteer from home or help out at an event. You can volunteer for a couple of hours a month, or gain serious experience providing member support or even serving on the executive committee. From smaller time-level commitments to more robust responsibilities, volunteering is a way to meet other members and develop new skills. Message wouldn't exist without our wonderful volunteers!

Message hosts a variety of events outside of working hours. These include talks by guest speakers, get-togethers with other members and their families, and classes for new and expecting parents. There are also regular co-working events for working parents in different parts of Paris. We try to schedule events throughout the week and weekend so all our members can participate, and members are also free to plan their own events. For example, a member can start a Saturday morning meet-up at a local cafe or playground, or plan a fun, kid-free evening out and invite other members to join.

They say a problem shared is a problem halved and when you're away from family and friends, it's good to know there is someone to talk to no matter what life throws at you.

Our members can chime in and support you in your search for (almost) anything parenting related - from where to find the right birthday cake, right through to how to cope when our children head off into the big wide world by themselves.

Message also has resources, referrals and trained, experienced peer support for more serious issues such as illness, divorce, or bereavement, to name a few. While we all hope these things never happen to us, it's good to know that the Message support network is there should you ever need it.

Yes, all parents and expecting parents are welcome! Message was originally established 40+ years ago as a support group for mothers, but our membership has evolved since then, and now includes parents and expecting parents of all sorts. Memberships are for moms, dads, parents, expecting parents, or however you identify.

You may notice that we are still updating our language and working to ensure everything is inclusive for all our members. Please reach out to vpmembership@messageparis.org if you have any feedback or ideas. And if you don't see what you are looking for, please get involved! Let's create an event, activity, or group that interests you. Message is entirely volunteer-run, and the more our members contribute, the better we can be.

If you are actively bringing your children up as English-speakers, Message activities may help provide extra exposure to English as a complement to your other activities in English (e.g., speaking English in the home, bilingual schooling, English books, television, radio, etc). Message does not provide English instruction. However, other members may be able to recommend more formal English classes for your bilingual children.

Message does not, as an organisation, provide a formal register of nannies or sitters. However, our members-only website has a conversation thread devoted to members seeking or recommending carers, and the discussion forums provide an area for exchanging experiences on all types of childcare (crèches, halte-garderies, public and private French and bilingual schools).

Yes. If you are expecting, or are planning a move with children, then joining Message can certainly help you plan for your stay in Paris. By getting in touch with other members through the discussion forums, you may even make friends who will be waiting for you when you arrive.

The purpose of Message is to provide help, support and advice to English speaking parents and expecting parents in the Paris area. If you are coming to Paris regularly and would like to be part of our community, you are most welcome. But there are no short-term or temporary memberships. A membership lasts for a minimum of a year from when you sign up and is non-refundable.

Message Paris has members and events located in Paris and the surrounding suburbs.

If you live anywhere in Paris or the surrounding suburbs, it is highly likely that other Message members live very close to you. No matter where you live, you are not limited to activities in your own area - you're welcome to attend any activity, anywhere.

Of course! In fact, Message has an active Single Parent Group, to help members connect with one another about the specificities that this situation can bring.

Message has no central office, and no paid staff. The association in entirely volunteer-run, with all social activities held in members' homes or in rented halls for larger meetings, with many outside activities during good weather, in parks or at museums.

In most cases, Yes, as long as you, the parent or guardian, are a member of Message and have authorised your child to be accompanied by another, English-speaking person. Attendance is at the discretion of the host, and we do ask you to confirm with them in advance.

Regular activities and meetups are scheduled by members at their own initiative. Members are free to organise activities and outings that are appropriate for the ages of their children or their own interests. Examples of recent activities include: a morning in a member's home for expectant members; an afternoon with toddlers in a local park; a playdate introducing 5-7 year olds to chess; a Message Talk on bilingualism and language development; a group Pilates session hosted at a member’s home; a lunch for working parents to exchange tips on balancing home and work life; a gathering for a language exchange (currently available in French, Italian, Spanish... and growing!). Message has organisation-wide events as well, including an annual summer picnic, Easter Egg Hunt, Halloween Trick or Treat, our famous Bring & Buy, and a Holiday Party complete with a visit from Santa.

As a general rule, we are conservative about advertising and try to keep Message commercial-free. However, Message provides a variety of advertising opportunities for reaching the membership. As a non-member, you are invited to contact our Ads Coordinator (see contacts page), who will be able to advise you on rates for paid display and classified ads in the Message Quarterly Magazine. Message members may post classified ads on the members' only website, in accordance with the Advertising Policy. Please note that Message will only accept advertising which it deems to be of interest and appropriate to our members.

Select 'Forgot your password' on the login screen to verify your account or reset your password.

Welcome back! Try logging in with your previous user name and password, and you'll automatically be directed to the renewals page. Please note that when you re-join, it will be at the current family membership rate. If you've forgotten your user name and/or password, you can use the 'Forgot your password' link. If your email address is not recognised, you can select the link to create a new account. If you have any other questions about your membership, please contact vpmembership@messageparis.org.

The purpose of Message is to offer support, advice and information to English-speaking parents regardless of socio-economic status. Message offers subsidised memberships to anyone who could benefit from all the services and resources on offer but for whom the cost is a prohibitive factor. To request a subsidised membership please send an email to our President at president@messageparis.org"

No. Message is a community of parents living in the Paris area. We do not provide any services for short-term visitors to Paris. As volunteers, we also do not have the capacity to respond to requests for information from non-members. Thank you for understanding!

Message takes the protection of your data seriously. Our aim is to provide a personalised and valuable service while safeguarding our users’ privacy. Collecting some personal information is necessary if we are to satisfy the expectations and requirements of our users and we have set out here what we will do with your personal information.