As parents, we root for our kids to build friendships at school. And, whether or not you consider yourself a \u201cmeddling\u201d parent, you\u2019ve probably had a small hand in forming some of those bonds. In a normal year, we\u2019ll send our kids to school with cupcakes for their birthday, a box full of Valentines, and party invites \u2014 things that tell the whole class, \u201cMy child is a team player.\u201d We’re even allowing more phone and computer time because we realize how hard it is to maintain friendships during a pandemic.<\/p>\n
We\u2019re trying to set our kids up for success and praying that a few friendships stick \u2014 the kind with pinky promises, sleepovers, and inside jokes. But the time and energy we put towards their friendships doesn’t always translate to our own lives. We forget about the importance of an inner circle, specifically having mom friends.<\/p>\n
Your village starts to take shape the second you give birth. This can include the labor nurses who remained by your side for 48 hours, your mother and mother-in-law who spoil your child rotten, down to the next-door neighbor who helps bring in your trash barrels. All of these people are important, but they can\u2019t really empathize with you.<\/p>\n
A mom friend is someone who\u2019s recently \u201cbeen there, done that.\u201d Her advice comes from a place of relevancy.<\/p>\n
Having children means your house never stays clean for very long. In fact, kids seem to follow behind the vacuum cleaner spreading crumbs like Johnny Appleseed. Despite how busy we are with our families, we can never shake the embarrassment of a messy house. But you know who doesn\u2019t care, a mom friend. She\u2019ll see your sink full of dirty dishes and raise you four baskets of unfolded laundry.<\/p>\n
A mom friend will plop down on your couch covered in assorted stains without blinking an eye. Your house, your rambunctious kids, your bed head and worn sweat pants \u2013 none of it bothers her because she gets it.<\/p>\n
If you’ve ever ugly cried in front of your spouse because of something your mother said (or during The Notebook<\/em>), then you’ve probably seen that uncomfortable look in their eyes that screams, “What do I do?” Sometimes people just don\u2019t know what to say. And when folks do chime in, they tell us how to fix our problems. Wrong answer.<\/p>\n A mom friend will listen, take your side, and then mirror whatever you\u2019re feeling. She\u2019s not there to one up you or give you advice. She\u2019s your sounding board.<\/p>\n When one of our kids finds a friendship that just clicks, we imagine the two of them \u2014 thick as thieves \u2014 remaining friends forever. Sure, that friendship might fizzle by next summer, but a mom can dream.<\/p>\n So remember to practice what you preach. Go out and find your mom friend!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The time and energy we put towards our children’s friendships doesn’t always translate to our own lives. We forget about the importance of an inner circle, specifically having mom friends.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":59,"featured_media":877,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[594],"tags":[],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n