With the help of Facebook, I’ve been having tons of playdates with other moms in my area! The new era of Facebook mommy groups has totally changed my life. It’s so easy to make a shout out to 5,000 moms in your area and ask what’s going on in your city. I’ve made some pretty great friends with people who have similar age babies. I actually have a particular mommy crew where our babies are only weeks apart. It’s so great chatting with them at 3am because I know we’re all going through the same phases. When we meet up, we can easily help watch each other’s kids because they’re all wearing the same things, playing with the same toys, and on a similar schedule. Of course, I still do a little cordial Facebook stalking to make sure I am talking to a real life mommy and not an axe-murderer. Most of these private social media groups will have an administrator team to help the validity of each Facebook friend request. Here are some ways I’ve benefitted with the help of Facebook mommy groups!
- made some new friends I meet on a weekly basis
- made new playmates (for future birthday parties/events for the kids)
- purchased and sold unwanted baby items
- scored some free Diclegis when I was nauseous during pregnancy (a compassionate mom dropped it off for free!)
- helped local mommies with their side businesses (chalkboard drawings for the nursery, apartment hunting/real estate questions, CPA/taxes, etc.)
- found all the details I wanted for local preschools (It’s way better to have a full conversation with someone versus a Yelp review!)
- found great quotes/information on house cleaners, couch cleaners, and babysitters
- discovered current deals on our local Target, grocery stores and other random sales
- found recommendations for the best pediatricians, urgent care centers, and pediatric dentists in my health network
- random free toys, stroller parts, and other items people want to get rid of
Not only do I feel like I have the best information in my town from expert moms, but I feel so connected and close to my new city. The moms that I hang out with all have a 3 year old boy and 4-6 month old daughter. A few of them just moved into the city, so they are eager to meet other moms! Since most of us are SAHMs, we take turns hanging out at each other’s homes (when we want to hang out in our pajamas), the mall, and kid-friendly cafes and restaurants. I’m really amazed at some of these local cafes! They have couches and lounge areas for the moms and play areas of different ages for the kids. So great for local moms to hang out!
I love that it’s becoming the norm for people to meet on the internet – not just for romantic relationships, but for friendships as well. Many people ask “how do you know each other?” And we’ll say “the internet!” Sometimes I see a post of a local mom saying, “I need mommy friends” and they will get 50+ comments from other moms who are willing to hang out. Being a newbie mom in a new town can be especially lonely, so this is really great for anyone who wants to make a new mommy friend.
Has anyone else benefited from social media groups in the same way?
persimmon / 1380 posts
Thanks for posting this! I am about to become a SAHM after my 2nd LO is born and I am a complete introvert so I know I will need to push myself out of my comfort zone and find some mom friends.
guest
There’s definitely some groups that have their fair share of drama but I’ve finally found one that’s really cool and has similar parenting styles as me. We’ve got playdates every week and even mommy nights out sometimes too! It’s awesome!
apricot / 370 posts
I guess this would be good if you can find the right one. I had to shut mine off because it was just too much drama! It seemed like so many people with lots of time to argue on the internet with strangers, and I wondered how they could really be moms? Cause all the moms I know in real life are too busy for that bs!
persimmon / 1390 posts
There is a strong group of moms in my area that started on Facebook. I hung out with them a few times while on maternity leave and it was great! They seem to get along well, and my kids will go to school with some of theirs as well. I’m not great at making friends (at all) and they were all super welcoming. Mommy bashing/bickering would not be allowed!
blogger / apricot / 335 posts
@LadyDi: it’s perfect for introverts because you can just say “I’m an introvert!” And all the other introverts will understand
Good luck finding some great mamas around you!
@shabang: @lexie: You guys are right! Not all groups are supportive – however I’ve found that recently it’s “ghetto” to be judgmental and the snarky moms get booted fast. I like to stick with Facebook groups no bigger than 5,000. Otherwise the Facebook wall goes nuts and the quality of the posts are impossible to screen. It takes awhile to find a really good one!
@Becky: Awww that’s great! It’s really awesome to find people in your exact stage of life. It’s always great to network and who knows how your friendship will continue to grow!