Life is busy with kids of any age and moms are pulled in so many directions every day. It’s often hard to stay connected to our friends during this season of life. I’ve learned that no one truly understands the demands of motherhood better than other moms.
I’m lucky to have some great moms to call friends. But I know it’s not always easy to find these people–and stay connected with them! I am generally introverted and get nervous around people I do not know so it’s important that I keep the friendships I have.
Stay Connected Via Technology
I still talk to my high school friends and college roommate regularly on Facebook messenger. I find that leaving a message each day or a few times a week helps us stay up to date on what’s happening in our lives. We share about our kids’ successes and struggles, what’s happening in our jobs, great recipes, and funny reels we find.
My sister-in-law and her high school friends stay connected via the Marco Polo app. They share similar daily thoughts using this platform and enjoyoo seeing what each other is up to every week. Here’s an article with more ideas!
Be Intentional About Meet-Ups
We love to dream about taking a girls’ trip to some exotic location, sipping fruity drinks, and spending all day at the spa. In reality, it’s more like meeting for coffee a few times a year or sitting on someone’s patio after the kids are in bed.
Just being together is so therapeutic. It doesn’t have to be fancy or expensive. While it is fun to leave the kids at home, you can also consider having the moms bring their kids along to a park or mall play area. (I recommend a playground that’s fenced in like a school with a preschool playground so it’s easier to sit and chat vs. chasing kids around.)
Maximize Your Kids’ Activity Times
I look forward to hockey practices because it’s a way to chat with other moms about having hockey players and also about our jobs, meal prep ideas, and raising kids. We’ve gotten to know each other over the years because we often choose to stay at practices to talk to each other rather than drop the kids off and run errands (though this happens too!).
Do you know the other moms on your child’s sports team or music groups? If your children are already busy someplace, it’s a great chance to hang out with the other moms and make friends who are dealing with similar stresses as you. I try to make it a point to leave my phone in my bag so I can chat with the moms without extra distractions.
More than ever, we have to be intentional about staying connected to our friends. It’s easy to get swept along with the business of motherhood, but when we try to figure things out on our own, we’re missing a great opportunity to connect with really great people in our lives.
