Genevieve Kreindel, of South Bellmore, became pregnant at the start of the coronavirus pandemic, and the years that followed left her feeling exhausted, isolated and struggling to recognize herself beyond motherhood.
“I lost a huge part of myself,” said Kreindel, the mother of a now 5-year-old. “My mojo was gone.”
But Kreindel has turned that difficult period into something positive, founding Off Duty Moms Club, a Long Island-based community she launched to support women navigating similar struggles. The club, she said, is rooted in the idea that motherhood does not have to erase a woman’s identity.
Pandemic restrictions forced her to attend medical appointments alone and cut off the in-person support many first-time parents rely on.
“All of the things you hear about — mommy-and-me classes, building a mom community, celebrating milestones — that was all taken away,” she said.
She gave birth in the summer of 2020, when hospital restrictions were still being enforced and social gatherings were limited. Visits from friends and family required quarantines, and outings that once felt routine — trips to the park, family holidays, even casual social interactions — suddenly felt impossible.
Like many parents during the pandemic, Kreindel said she entered survival mode. Sleep deprivation, burnout and a loss of hobbies compounded over time, and the sense of disconnection lingered well beyond the height of the pandemic.
“I would love to say I bounced back in a few months,” she said. “That wasn’t the case.”
By the time her son turned 4, in September 2024, Kreindel realized something had to change. Burned out and overwhelmed, she made a deliberate decision to prioritize her mental and physical health — something she said can feel counterintuitive and even stigmatized for mothers.
“There’s this idea that moms have to martyr themselves,” she said. “Putting myself first felt scary.”
She began making small but intentional changes. She returned to the gym, started walking outdoors regularly, picked up reading again and revisited creative hobbies she had long abandoned.
“These were things that fed my soul,” she said.
Over roughly 16 months, Kreindel lost 70 pounds, but she said the physical transformation was secondary to the emotional lift she received.
“I felt reborn,” she said. “I finally felt like myself again.”
That personal journey became the foundation for Off Duty Moms Club, which offers both online content and in-person events designed exclusively for women — not “mommy-and-me” activities — with a focus on affordable, accessible self-care.
“This is about giving moms permission to be off duty,” Kreindel said.
Through social media, Kreindel shares content about fitness, nutrition, relationships and managing guilt — all framed around realistic, manageable changes rather than perfection. In just over two months, the club’s Instagram account has grown to nearly 1,800 followers.
Offline, the club hosts curated events such as flower-arranging workshops, Pilates classes and candle-making sessions, with price points intended to be accessible for working families.
“Long Island is expensive,” Kreindel said. “I’m very intentional about making these events easy to say yes to.”
She said the response from the community has been immediate and personal, with members frequently reaching out to share how the content has encouraged them to exercise again, reconnect with partners or reclaim old hobbies.
“I’ve had women stop me in public because they recognized the name,” she said. “That’s when it really hit me that this was resonating.”
Kreindel’s husband, Lee Kreindel, said her passion for helping other mothers has brought a renewed sense of positivity into their home.
“Genevieve is so passionate and gets so much joy in helping out other moms like her, and that joy carries over to our home life,” he said. “Her joy is my joy, and this club has brought a lot of positivity into our home since she started Off Duty Moms Club.”
He added that she was recently moved to tears after receiving a message from a follower who said she had been experiencing burnout and felt inspired by Genevieve’s posts to take time for herself.
“That makes all the hours she puts into this club worth it,” he said.
Kreindel works in advertising and said maintaining balance requires firm boundaries and strong support at home. She credits her husband as a hands-on partner and said modeling healthy relationships is another theme she weaves into her content.
“If I’m taking care of myself as a person first, my family benefits,” she said.
Kreindel said she hopes to grow Off Duty Moms Club intentionally, without sacrificing authenticity or community trust. While expansion and partnerships are part of her long-term vision, she said the focus remains on serving women who feel unseen or overwhelmed.
“I’m here to be a voice for women who are going through it,” she said. “Sometimes, all it takes is knowing you’re not alone.”
To stay up to date on upcoming events and information, follow Off Duty Moms Club on Instagram at @OffDutyMomsClub_LI.
