Mr. Marbles and I were one of the first of our friends to get married and have kids. We’ve always been close with our friends and are generally outgoing. Unfortunately, none of our closest friends have kids or are even remotely close to having kids. Finding parent friends is also a whole different ball game. Post-baby, I’ve been finding it very difficult to make mama friends.

I have a great group of online mama friends and resources like Hellobee, but when it comes to real life friends, it’s definitely been hard. I want Little Marbles to have pals her age, but becoming friends with someone just so your kid has a playmate seems a little self-serving. There have just been so many obstacles to making mama friends, that I’m getting a bit disheartened.

Getting Out There
I’ve heard many moms recommend joining new mom groups. I’ve definitely joined a few local online groups through Meetup, but find it hard to jump into board discussions when it seems that everyone seems to have already met and/or know each other in person. I was also put off by a group moderator who demanded that I attend an event in the next month or I’d be kicked out of the group. Wow. I felt like it was a Mean Girls/high school moment. I want to make mama friends who are like my  real life kid-less friends — understanding and kind, not some playgroup clique.

Scheduling
As a full-time working mom, my weekends with my family are sacred. Despite that, we often spend Saturday running errands: buying groceries, stocking up on baby supplies, etc. We also have a lot of family living close by and family visiting from out of town often because LM is the first grandkid for both our families, so she’s got a lot of relatives who want to see her. We also have her enrolled in a music class every Sunday morning so both Mr. Marbles and I can participate. Additionally, we don’t want to overstimulate LM with too many activities in one day. Sooo… time for meeting other little friends and for me to make friends is very limited.

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Taking the Leap
It’s worst than a first date. When you do meet another cool mom or someone with kids the same age as yours, how do you take that first step? Mr. Marbles and I often chat up well with other parents, but how do you go from generic parenting chit-chat to taking the plunge and exchanging information? It’s super awkward! I’ve seen those cute “mommy calling cards” on various stationery sites, but is it appropriate to try to set up a playdate when you’ve just met the parents? What’s the protocol?

How have you made friends with other moms? Do you have any tips for a working mom like myself?