Girl Talk: How To Befriend Other Moms
One of the most frightening things about being a mom is the school gate. What do you do? How do you talk to the other moms? Should you try to befriend them? Will your kids suffer if you don’t at least make an effort? What if you feel shy and awkward? In all honesty, there are absolutely no answers – all you can really do is hope for the best and try your hardest to be as open and friendly as possible. Here are some tips on how to befriend other moms at the school gate…
Start A Conversation
If you don’t start a conversation then you might never make any friends at all! You never know what other people are feeling – maybe they’re just as shy and awkward as you are, and longing for someone to come over and say hi. Remember that it’s very difficult to befriend people without a smile on your face and a positive attitude. If someone asks how you are, then don’t start talking about how your boiler’s broken and how your husband’s being a pain and how you’ve got a weird headache right in the middle of your forehead – be positive, and just say “I’m great!”. Any complaints and problems can wait for a later point in your friendship!
Invite Their Kid Over For A Play Date
When you have kids, you have a million great plans for them: you’re going to spend every minute with them doing fun and educational activities, you’re never going to let them watch TV, they’re going to be geniuses and prodigies. And then a few years down the line, all you really want some of the time is a break – and chances are, other moms will feel the same way. You need adult conversation and interaction while your kids aren’t demanding your attention constantly. Invite another mom and their kid over and provide coffee and cake for the two of you along with some more nutritional snacks for your kids. You’ll be able to have a great conversation and get to know each other while your kids play and make new friends in each other.
Suggest An Activity Without Kids
Once you’ve become friends with another school gate mom because of your kids then it’s time to strike! No, not in a creepy way – if you get on well and you share similar world views and maybe the same sense of humor, then it might be time to turn them into a real friend instead of someone who you just know because you both have kids the same age. Suggest hanging out and getting coffee when your kids are in school, or invite her along when you’re going out with your other friends. Go to a movie or maybe to something more fun and active like bowling – bowling shoes for women are far more cool than they used to be! You might even get a new yoga or fitness buddy out of her.
Most of all, make sure that you’re reliable, that you do as many favors for her as she does for you, and that you stay positive and fun – and you’ll make a new friend in no time!
