Mom Friends Matter: Building and Maintaining Meaningful Connections
Let’s be real: being a mom is like starring in your own reality show, except no one gets voted off the island and you don’t win any prizes. And while your kids are adorable (most of the time), they can’t be your only source of social interaction. Enter: mom friends. These are your people—the ones who understand why your coffee is always cold, why your snacks are never yours, and why “me time” is often just a mythical concept.
This blog will help you discover why mom friends are worth the effort, where to find them, how to woo them (okay, maybe not woo), and how to keep them around even when life gets messy.
Why You Need Mom Friends
1. They Speak Your Language: Sleep regressions, diaper blowouts, and screen-time guilt? Say no more. They’re fluent.
2. Free Therapy: Who else will nod knowingly when you admit you hid in the bathroom just to scroll your phone in peace?
3. Laughter Is Medicine: Mom friends will laugh with you (and sometimes at you) about the chaos of it all.
4. Backup Support: Need a last-minute carpool or someone to babysit while you go to that long-overdue dentist appointment? Mom friends have your back.
5. Sanity Savers: They’re your reminder that you’re not alone in this wild ride called motherhood.
How to Make Mom Friends
1. Master the Mom-to-Mom Flirt: Spot a mom at the playground and drop a casual, “Love your diaper bag! Target?”
2. Join the Party: Sign up for mom groups, library story times, or those exhausting toddler gym classes. It’s like speed dating for moms.
3. Leverage Your Kid: They’re the ultimate icebreaker. Compliment another mom on her kid’s epic dinosaur roar, and voilà—conversation started.
4. Be Brave: Sometimes, you just have to shoot your shot. “Hey, want to grab coffee while our kids scream over Paw Patrol in the background?”
5. Get Online: Mom groups on Facebook, Peanut (yes, it’s Tinder for mom friends), or even your local neighborhood app are gold mines of potential connections. Or my personal fave, I may be a bit biased, but Babbling Babes is a wonderful local option with an off social media app. More on this and other local options at the end!
How to Maintain Mom Friendships
1. Keep It Real: Show up as the imperfect mom you are. Nobody trusts a mom whose house is always spotless.
2. Be Flexible: Canceled plans happen when kids exist. Roll with it and reschedule. Just remember to follow through on the rescheduling part!
3. Schedule (Semi)Regular Time Together: Whether it’s a wine night, coffee date, or a stroller walk, pencil each other into your chaotic calendars.
4. Offer Support: Bring a coffee when her kid’s teething or just listen when she needs to vent about the PTA drama.
5. Embrace Group Chats: Memes, rants, and random questions about potty-training hacks will keep you all connected.
Where to Find Mom Friends
1. The Playground: Look for the mom who also looks like she’s pretending to care about the slide for the 47th time.
2. Kids’ Classes and Activities: Gymnastics, swim lessons, and soccer practices are prime mingling opportunities.
3. School Events: Strike up a conversation during drop-off or at the next PTA meeting (yes, even if it’s painful).
4. Community Events: Farmers’ markets, festivals, and library programs are full of potential mom squads.
5. Online Communities: Find local mom groups on Facebook, local mom social groups or clubs, or you can try apps like Peanut for connecting with moms in your area.
Babbling Babes, Galentine’s Day Gathering 2024 at MARN Art + Culture Hub in Downtown Milwaukee
Greater Milwaukee Area Mom Social Groups
Babbling Babes: a moms social group that connects and uplifts local moms while cultivating community at curated Gatherings with local businesses that believe in supporting the heart of the city - the moms.
Looking to connect more deeply with other moms? Join The Village; this is an off-social media, inclusive community for moms. The Village is a safe place to get to know moms in a no-pressure way outside of Gatherings, share wisdom and local insight, and plan meet-ups in your area on your own.
I said earlier I’m a little bit biased since I consider myself to be a Babbling Babes Ambassador as I help plan and host some events.
Park Pals: a social in-person group for toddlers and parents who are craving a reason to get out of the house without breaking the bank.
They want to provide the opportunity to play, learn, and connect with other families while having fun and supporting our kids learning and development, and also getting ourselves out of the house. This is a relaxed group, come and go at anytime.
Lake Country Littles: started by a local mom of two with the simple goal of bringing moms together and making community in motherhood a bit easier.
They host everything from mommy & me classes, park play dates, large-scale curated events & festivals to mom's nights out, and coffee shop meet ups. This mom's group has something for everyone!
Making mom friends is a lot like dating—you’re putting yourself out there, risking rejection, and hoping someone “gets you.” But trust me, it’s worth it. These are the people who will laugh at your parenting fails, cheer on your wins, and stand by you through the chaos of motherhood. So, take a deep breath, throw on your mom jeans, and go find your village. You’ve got this!
