How I Make Mom Friends and Get Play Dates
April 2012:
So, making mom friends was new to me. I thought “How am I going to relate to these women who have all these kids when I have just one sleepy lil nugget that I still carry around in a car seat?” She can’t run, play, eat real food, or do much of anything. Besides the obvious of looking super cute, she was a lump. I had no idea where to begin.
Thankfully, I have a Facebook addiction that has no cure. Whilst “stalking” people, I came across a moms group that was full of advice and play dates – exactly what I needed to make mom friends! So, I put on my big girl pants and went to a play date. Oh my God what have I gotten myself into… kids everywhere while my infant peacefully sleeps. I scream in my head “Please don’t wake up!!!” But, that inner scream yields no results as I see the slow-motion opening of my baby girl’s tiny little eyelids. I have never seen her eyes open as wide as they did that day. She looked around for me and her little face basically said “What in the world is going on!” So, I gathered her out of her car seat and introduced myself. After those first few moments of sheer panic, I realized that I was not the only one with a baby. I also realized that I knew someone there and she helped ease that sense of terror a bit.
As we all began to chat, it started to become second nature to me to talk to other moms. Thank you God! I never thought I would enjoy reliving the crazy pregnancy, traumatic birth, and first few days of life with Sophie as I did with these strangers. I felt so at ease.
And so it began. My quest to make mom friends was a baby seedling that is now slowly growing and growing! I wouldn’t trade it for the world. I love spending time with Sophie and being a stay-at-home mom, but this social butterfly needs to spread her wings once in a while.
**Update: 10/7/2012: I have been taking Sophie to lots of play dates when I can, and we also go to story time at the library, and it has been great for both of us! We have connected with a bunch of great moms and kids – even some people I knew back in high school! It’s fun to reconnect and see how our lives have changed so much from when we were kids.
Take it from me: Don’t be afraid to go and meet new people! There are lots of people who feel the same way you do, so help each other.
Find local mom groups to connect with by doing a group search on Facebook for “mom” or “moms” and the name of your city or town. What other ways have you found to make mom friends?
About Abbie Schmitt
Abbie is a stay-at-home mom to 2 year old Sophia and an Independent Consultant with a direct sales company. She and her husband Patrick also have a Bishon Frise, Jax, and an American Eskimo, Petey. Abbie describes herself as ”crafty, sarcastic, a little OCD, sometimes too critical, but an easy-going mom who isn’t afraid to say it how it is.” Abbie is looking forward to sharing both her opinions and her adventures of being a mom and woman surviving the modern world.