How to Make Mom Friends + 15 Places to Meet Them
Making friends as an adult can be difficult, but it’s especially hard when you’re a mom and don’t have a lot of social opportunities. In a recent survey about the struggles stay-at-home moms face, the third biggest problem for moms was lack of social connection.
It’s no secret that many moms struggle with finding friends to connect with. It’s important to find friends who understand what you’re going through as a parent and who you can confide in.
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This post was made after researching and surveying moms on how they meet other mom friends and what tips they have. Here are some tips to help you make mom friends and where you can go about finding them.
How to Make Friends With Other Moms
Making friends as an adult can be difficult. Once school is over, your social circles can get smaller and even disappear. Extra effort is needed to make connections with people and become friends.
Why Is It So Hard to Make Friends With Other Moms?
Adults tend to get caught up with their responsibilities and don’t have time to go out and meet new people. However, it’s important to have friends, especially for moms who feel isolated.
After talking with many mothers, it seems like not having friends is a really common problem. So why is it so difficult if so many of us are feeling this way?
Well, the common reason is that a lot of moms are stuck at home and don’t have time to get out and socialize. Even if they work outside of the home, the only people they are around are coworkers who aren’t always a good fit for friendship.
Many moms don’t have a lot of spare time, outside of raising their family and maintaining their lives, to cultivate new relationships.
How Can Adult Moms Make Friends With Other Moms?
We know moms are limited on time and energy. However, if you want to make friends, you’ll need to prioritize having a social life. The good thing is that other moms know how crazy life is and are understanding of your limitations as they probably deal with similar things.
In order to make mom friends, you need to first prioritize your social life by making time to go meet other moms, then you need to find places to go to meet them. Once you meet other moms, you need to find those with similar interests and values to your own, these will be the moms that you can likely make a connection with and become friends with.
Once you find moms that you are interested in forming a friendship with, you can reach out and spend time with them. Over time, you will develop friendships this way.
Making new friends as a mom is a lot like dating. It can be stressful to put yourself out there for fear of it not working out or being rejected. Just keep trying until you find the right person. It’s so worth it once you find a great friend!
Steps to Making Friends as a Mom
In summary, here are the steps to take to make mom friends:
- Prioritize your social life and make time in your schedule to get out and meet people
- Go to places where you can interact with and meet other moms
- Find moms with similar interests and values
- Reach out to moms you are interested in being friends with and spend some time with them
- If it’s a good fit, you can build a friendship over time
Making Friends as a Stay-At-Home Mom
Stay-at-home moms (SAHMs) sometimes have a more difficult time making friends because they spend most of their time at home. This makes social circles small and they don’t get a lot of time with other adults.
Between taking care of their children and house, most SAHMs don’t get out very often. Because of this isolation, it’s harder for SAHMs to meet new people and make friends with other moms. However, it’s not impossible. SAHMs just need to prioritize getting out and about and getting social.
How Do Stay-At-Home Moms Make Friends?
It’s difficult at first, but if you can find activities that include your children, it’s easier to socialize during the day. In some ways, SAHMs have a bit of an advantage if they can find other moms who stay at home because their schedules allow them to meet up during the day.
The key for moms who stay at home to find friends is for them to get out of the house and join in on activities that attract other moms. The more you put yourself out there, the more likely you are to meet friends along the way.
How Can Introverts Make Mom Friends?
If you are introverted, making friends can be difficult. You have to be able to put yourself out there a little bit to make connections. There are apps and Facebook groups that you can join to break the ice before meeting other moms.
If you are an introvert, check the list of places to find other moms below and see which options you’d be most comfortable with trying. Once you meet a cool mom or two, you might get more comfortable and be able to expand your social circle a bit.
Places to Find Moms to Be Friends With
Here are some common places moms successfully have met other mom friends. These ideas come from real recommendations from moms and personal experiences.
1. Facebook Groups
Most towns or areas have local mom groups on Facebook. Just search “your area + moms/mom groups” on Facebook and some will probably pop up. If one hasn’t been created yet, you can start one and invite other moms from other local groups to join.
From there, you can reach out with a post and see if any other moms are wanting to meet up and hang out. These types of posts usually get a lot of responses because other moms have trouble finding friends.
2. Peanut App
The Peanut app is kind of like Tinder but for moms. You create a profile and swipe left or right on other moms’ profiles.
Once you’re matched up, you can chat and get to know them. If you feel like you’d be interested in getting to know them, you can meet up and hang out.
3. Local Parks
Local parks are a huge hit for moms. They are free and easy to take the kids to run around and burn some energy. Scope out your local parks and hang out for a while.
You’ll likely see some other moms with their kiddos there. If you strike up a conversation, it may lead to a friendship.
4. Community Programs/Groups
If you get to know some people in your community, you’re bound to find some other moms to be friends with. Find out what things are going on locally that you can attend or volunteer at.
This will give you an in with a new social circle and opportunity for friends. You don’t have to pick something that’s a huge time commitment either.
5. Local Libraries
Libraries are a hit with moms. Especially those with younger kids. If your local library hosts kid’s book readings or any other activities, take your kids and mingle with the other parents. This is a great way to find moms who live nearby.
6. School Activities
If your child is in school, take advantage of the opportunity to meet other parents there. This can be while picking up or dropping off, at fundraising activities, groups like PTA, or other school functions.
If you show up regularly, you’ll probably see some familiar faces after a while and be able to approach other moms for a play date or meetup.
7. Homeschool Groups
If your child is homeschooled, you don’t have to miss out on the social aspect of public school. There are usually local homeschool groups that organize meetups and get-togethers for kids and their parents. Do some searching and see if there are groups near you.
8. Social Events
Make sure that you accept social invitations. You’ll likely meet other moms who are friends of your friends or relatives.
So, make sure to show up to things you’re invited to, especially if it’s kid-friendly since you might meet some other parents. Make sure to mingle and introduce yourself to others when you are at these events to find potential friends.
9. Children’s Sports and Activities
If your child is in a sport or other activity, that is the perfect place to meet other moms. You’ll find other moms with kids who share interests and are close to the same age as yours. So, make a point to get your child involved in some activities.
10. Fitness Classes
Does your gym have a daycare? Or are you able to sneak away to the gym alone every once in a while?
If so, fitness classes, especially those catered to women, can be a great place to make friends. You’ll be able to socialize before and after classes and get to know some other women.
11. Local Pools
Local pools are another great place to meet other moms. You can take your kids to swim and while they’re occupied, you can chat with some of the other parents who are there. Plus this is a really fun way to get out of the house and let your kids burn off some energy.
12. Mommy and Me Classes
There are all sorts of Mommy and Me classes you can take with your kids. Do a quick local search to see what is available near you. You’ll probably find activities like gym classes, music classes, and swimming lessons that you can take your child to.
13. Church
If you belong to a church, this is a great place to meet other moms who you can get to know before you try to befriend them. Chat with other moms and see who you hit it off with.
Make sure to attend any social events put on by your church that allow you to interact more with other members. Volunteering in the children’s groups will also help you meet parents at church and allow you to get to know their kids as well.
14. Neighbors
Finding mom friends in your neighborhood can be really great. They are close by and you won’t need to travel far to hang out. This is the perfect setup for backyard hangouts and you’ll have someone there for you if you need help and vice versa.
If you see other moms around your neighborhood, make sure to greet them and try to start a conversation. You might find a new best friend that lives close by!
15. Husband/Significant Other’s Friends
If your husband or significant other has friends who are married, you can try to initiate a friendship with their wives. This is one of the more natural friendships that you can easily make.
You can have your husband invite them over for dinner and get to know them better. If you and the other mom hit it off, you can start to become closer friends.
Tips For Making Mom Friends
Use these tips to be more successful in your venture to make friends with other moms:
- Get out of the house whenever possible
- Say “yes” to social invitations
- Get involved with your community
- Hang out at places that other moms go with their children
- Start conversations with other moms you see
- Remember that a lot of other moms are feeling lonely too, so don’t be scared to reach out
- Don’t give up after a few failed attempts, not everyone is a good match for you as a friend
Making Mom Friends FAQ
Why is it important for moms to be friends with other moms?
Moms need support outside of their significant others. That’s why having other mom friends is so important. These other moms can relate to you and support you through tough times.
It can make a huge difference in your life to be able to socialize with other people who share the same experiences.
Is it normal to not have any friends when you’re a mom?
Yes! It is normal for you to not have friends when you’re a mom. Even if you had friends before, they sometimes disappear once you’re more involved with your family. Many moms say that they don’t have any close friends.
Why is it hard for stay-at-home moms to have friends?
SAHMs tend to have a hard time meeting people and finding the time to get out of the house. This makes it difficult for them to find and keep friends.
However, SAHMs should prioritize finding other moms to be friends with. It’s really important to your mental health.
Where can you find other moms to be friends with?
There are many places to meet other moms to befriend. Start with local places like parks and libraries. You can even meet other moms through social events, your significant other, and online.
Reference the list above for more ideas.
How do you make small talk with other moms?
Approaching other moms can seem intimidating. However, it’s really not that bad! Making small talk with other moms is pretty simple.
To make small talk with other moms, simply greet them and ask them about themselves and their children. You might find some common interests along the way and be able to talk for a while about shared experiences and likes.
Making Mom Friends
We know how important it is to have friends as a mom. If you don’t have them, your life can seem isolated and lonely. Having other friends who are moms can allow you to build a support system where you are there for each other. The phrase “it takes a village” is true.
As you can see, there are many places to meet other moms. Just put yourself out there and give yourself opportunities to meet new people. If it doesn’t work out the first few times, keep trying. You never know when you’ll meet your new best friend.
