Is Making Mom Friends Hard For You? Try These 15 Suggestions!

Five women are laying on the ground with their heads together in a circle. Each one has a child that is laying beside them.

A friend and I recently discussed how hard it is to make “mom friends.” Unlike the days on high school and college campuses where you’re thrown together and bound by mutual interests, locating the ideal mom-friend candidate sometimes seems impossible. 

So, I asked my friend: What advice would you give someone who wants to make connections with other parents?

Her response:

“Tell them to convince their current friends to get knocked up at the same time so you don’t have to deal with it.”

I mean, she’s not wrong.

Aside from strong-arming your friends into conceiving, there’s got to be a better way to curb the loneliness of parenthood and find other friends going through the same season of life as you… right? 

Thankfully, yes! While there’s no perfect solution to cure the awkwardness that sometimes comes with trying to make new friends, there are plenty of excellent ways to make the experience more successful.

So, if you’re ready to expand your parenting social circle, stick around. Below you’ll find fifteen helpful hints to make finding new mom friends easy and fun! 

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Why is Making Mom Friends So Challenging?

You wouldn’t think finding a tribe of new friends to enjoy small talk, playdates, and other fun would be so hard. Unfortunately, discovering the perfect person to share your motherhood woes and triumphs with can feel impossible.

Why, though? Why is it so difficult to connect with other mamas when we have so much in common?

For starters, many of us don’t have a schedule that allows for a surplus of hang-outs and conversations. Between work, raising kids, spending time with our partners, and caring for the house, there are barely any minutes left in the day.

And even if there were, many of us are too tired to use them anyways!

Beyond a lack of time, making new mom friends is hard because we’re all so different as parents. While differences are beautiful and appreciated, they can also be challenging depending on the circumstances.

If you feel like you constantly have to explain or defend your parenting choices, there’s a good chance you’re not going to forge the qualities needed for a long-lasting friendship.

Some other challenges include having kids of different ages, finding people with similar work situations, or being an introvert who generally has a hard time making friends to begin with. 

What Makes Someone the “Ideal” Mom Friend? Tips On Who to Look For

With all of these “challenges” to overcome, you might feel finding like-minded moms to start a friendship with will be impossible.

Impossible – no.

Difficult – sometimes.

Below you’ll find several great suggestions for finding new mom friends. Before we get to those, it’s worth considering what type of person you should be searching for. Consider the following tips for choosing someone to start a mom friendship with:

  • Find someone who lives in your area
  • Look for a parent who has kids the same age as yours
  • Try to befriend someone who has the same number of children
  • Consider searching for friends with a similar work situation

Now, take these things with a grain of salt. While the tips above can help you identify a good mom friend, don’t shut people out who don’t fit inside these boxes. 

Let your instincts lead the way. Just because someone doesn’t seem compatible “on paper” doesn’t mean they don’t have the makings to become your new best friend

Three African American women are standing outside in front of trees. They are all smiling at eachother.
Looking to make mom friends? We’ve got you covered!

15 Ways to Make Mom Friends in Your Area

Whether you’ve just moved to a new neighborhood or want to get out of your comfort zone in search of more interactions with other moms, it might surprise you to learn that you can start making new friends in many ways.

Keep reading for 15 of our favorite suggestions for how to make mom friends!

1. Join Local Facebook Mom Groups

First, why not utilize social media while searching for like-minded mom friends? If you’re on Facebook, there’s a good chance you’ll have access to a wide range of mom groups.

Head to the Facebook Groups page and search for “local mom groups.” This should pull up a list of all the active organizations in your town and surrounding areas. From parenting support groups to chats about playdates, you’ll find many fantastic ways to connect with local moms.

I’ve spoken to several family members and friends who’ve said these groups helped them meet many new people and introduced them to some of their best friends.

2. Get to Know Your Neighbors

If you’re lucky enough to live in a neighborhood that prioritizes community events and interactions, use those opportunities! After all, what better mom friend than someone in your area?

And let’s be honest: you don’t have to attend neighborhood gatherings to know which of your neighbors has kids. All you need to do is look for the toys scattered around their home! If you see a bunch of toys in a yard, have your child help you make some cookies to take over. 

Nothing says friendship like homemade cookies and the belief that a home is not a home without toys littered everywhere. 

3. Look for Mutual Friends

Does the friend of a friend have kids the same age as you? Did your aunt recently mention a young mom at work who has a similar parenting style?

Utilize your current social circles to search for other parents interested in getting together with their little ones. Remember, many of us are struggling with making mom friends. I can almost guarantee if you reach out to a mutual friend, they’ll be ecstatic about making a new connection.

4. Take Your Little Ones to the Playground

Ahhh, the playground… a mecca for parents and their children.

What better place to make new mom friends and exchange phone numbers than a universal area readily equipped with hours of entertainment for your little ones?

While your kids are running around the jungle gym, look around at the other parents. There’s a good chance you’ll spot another mom hanging out by herself who’d love to chat. 

5. Go for a Walk

Put your kids in the stroller and head out for a walk. Depending on your neighborhood, you might run into other moms out and about doing the same thing. 

I did when our girls were younger!

I’d taken them out for a stroll and crossed paths with another young mom whose son was almost the same age as my eldest. She lived right down the street from me, and we had no clue. They ended up being some of our favorite people to do things with!

6. Volunteer at Your Child’s Daycare or School

This is one of my favorite tips for making new mom friends–get involved with your little one’s daycare or school!

Most teachers and admin welcome as many volunteers as they can get. Whether you sign up to help with a classroom party, join the PTO/PTA, or assist with school events, you will surely meet many new parents.

I’ve actually met some of my best mom friends this way, so I can vouch for its success rate!

7. Look Up Local Mommy & Me Get Togethers

Local churches, libraries, gyms, and other organizations often provide parents with various mommy and me classes or activities. 

8. Attend Local Classes for Babies and Toddlers

After my youngest was born, I was desperate for something to do while our oldest was in school. I started looking up local baby classes and found many great options for work-from-home or stay-at-home moms and dads.

Again, you can check with local libraries, youth organizations, or county park systems. For instance, I found some adorable educational activities for toddlers and babies at our local nature preserve. 

9. Give Mom & Baby Workouts a Try

Are you interested in starting a new workout routine? Why not choose a gym that has daycare programs for little ones? These spaces are a great place to meet new friends!

10. Stop Turning Down Invitations

Trust me; I get it – RSVPing yes to events is not always what we want to do. Between being an introvert and struggling with my emotional load and parenting anxiety, it’s usually easier to just say no. 

We have to stop doing this, though.

Not only will it be better for our mental health to get out and socialize, but accepting invites is also a great way to meet new people

Putting yourself out there is sometimes uncomfortable, but when you’re sitting across from a new mom friend you met at an event, you’ll be so happy you said yes.

11. Get Your Kids Involved with Sports and Other After School Activities

From soccer teams to dance lessons, getting your children involved with extracurricular activities means you’ll likely be spending a lot of time with other parents. 

With any luck, one of them could be the perfect new mom friend for you!

12. Find National Parenting Groups or Forums, Too

When many of us consider making friends with other parents, we focus on the local area. While this is great in terms of getting together with kids, there can still be value in long-distance friendships. 

For example, my cousin told me she made a great connection with another mom she “met” in a car seat safety group. 

Whether you’re in the same zip code or state, it still helps to find other parents you can relate to. That way, you can talk about the complex parts of parenting and have a trustworthy ear available to listen.

13.  Set Up a Playdate

Let’s be honest; our children are often better at making friends than we are. I’m sorry, but it’s true.

If your little one comes home talking about a child they love in their class, why not try to set up a playdate with that kid’s parents? You know your little one will be thrilled, and you might make a new mom friend at the same time. 

14. Start Searching for Mom Friends During Pregnancy

Let’s say you’re pregnant and thinking ahead that you don’t have any friends who have kids or will understand your life’s transition. Why not start planning for your “mom friend future” now?

Take pregnancy yoga, go to birthing classes with your partner, or sign up for an expectant mama support group. You’ll get to surround yourself with others experiencing the same life changes as you. 

15. Offer to Drive Carpool

Want a surefire way to make some new mom friends? Offer to handle pick-ups or drop-offs from school! Trust me; nothing will win another parent over more than having extra help with those chaotic days when getting your kid from A to B seems impossible. 

Helping out with carpooling will help you start talking to other parents and give you the space to get to know them. 

Are Mom Friend Apps Worth It?

In a time where digital meet and greets are all the rage, do mom friend apps exist? And if they do, are they worth getting involved with?

Not only do they exist, but some people swear by them

Check out the apps below if you’re considering an online search for new mommy friends:

1. Peanut

Occasionally touted as the “Tinder of mom friend apps,” Peanut jumped onto the scene in 2017. Since its inception, moms nationwide have used the platform to find like-minded parents they can connect with in real life.

The app has an astounding 2.5 million users, so you might assume it’s a sure bet for finding new parenting friends.

Maybe…maybe not.

While it’s not hard to find Peanut success stories, you might hear some complaints, too. During my research for this article, I asked a bunch of moms about their experiences with the Peanut mom friend app.

A couple of them mentioned finding someone they enjoyed hanging out with, but many others complained that the app mostly suggested parents who didn’t live close to them or were no longer active on the app. 

There’s no harm in giving it a try since it’s entirely possible you’ll make a new friend. Plus, it’s free, so you won’t be out of anything if it doesn’t work. Just prepare yourself for the chance that it could be a bust.

2. Nextdoor

While the Nextdoor app isn’t marketed as an app for making mom friends, many people have found it helpful.

A friend, for example, hopped on Nextdoor a couple of years ago and found a post about someone else looking for parents with new babies. She reached out, and they bonded almost immediately; in fact, they’re still friends today!

3. Social.Mom

The thing I love about the Social.Mom app is that it’s about more than just helping parents make new friends.

It’s also a resource for local resources, parenting tips, healthcare suggestions, and more. Included with the app is “Mom Academy.” This feature includes a broad range of videos and articles from various parenting experts to help guide us through the challenges of raising kids.

You can even get advice about different spots in your community that are great for parents. Whether you want to find a new playground, children’s museum, picnic spot, or sports team, Social.Mom can help.

It is worth noting, however, that some reviewers have witnessed bullying and troll-like behavior on the app. Be attentive to what’s being posted and cautious about anything making you uncomfortable. 

A woman with olive colored pants and a blue, yellow, and black striped shirt is sitting across from a woman with jeans and a light blue button up shirt. They are talking and holding coffee cups.

Don’t Let Learning How to Make Mom Friends Stress You Out

Research shows that 56% of parents with children under five express feelings of loneliness. Since social isolation carries many adverse physical and mental health risks, it’s a problem worth addressing.

Making friends with other moms and parents is sometimes challenging but never impossible. 

Whether you utilize the tips above or try some of your own, it’s worth putting yourself out there to connect with your local mommy community. From playgroups to story time, there are excellent ways to interact with other parents in your area. 

Have you tried any of these suggestions for making mom friends?