https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Thu, 23 Apr 2026 08:12:06 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-do-you-initiate-friendships-with-other-moms#post-1679973 Thu, 05 Jun 2014 07:07:43 +0000 MsLipGloss 1679973@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>There are a few moms who have returned my friendly chit chat on a few occasions, but there are several who were (and still are!) completely rude to me. Honestly, I think it's due to their social awkwardness, and not mine . . . and that I may be interpreting their behavior as rude when it's really just socially awkward penguin type stuff! I'm certainly no *Neal Caffery*, but I will always make the effort to say hello and to learn someone's name (I know all of LO's daycare classmates' names, that's for sure . . . 4-5 of them always swarm me when I arrive to pick my little lady up!). But I don't let that stop me. I just try to remember that most people aren't super outgoing, so I try to make an effort because you never know how it's going to turn out!</p> <p>I am friendly with a couple of neighbors and a couple of colleagues at work (who have littles around the same age), and thanks to HB, I also have two local mom friends as well. So, I feel really lucky in that regard. BUT, it is hard to find time to get together often . . . everyone is trying to carve out family time, couple time, etc. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-do-you-initiate-friendships-with-other-moms#post-1679963 Thu, 05 Jun 2014 06:59:37 +0000 Andrea 1679963@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I just start chatting. How old are your LOs? One thing leads to another. I think a lot of people are not comfortable making the first move, but I don't mind so I've built up a nice network of mom friends this past year since I started to SAH. It is really nice to have people to hang out with every day and have some adult conversation. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-do-you-initiate-friendships-with-other-moms#post-1679961 Thu, 05 Jun 2014 06:56:01 +0000 Cherrybee 1679961@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@looch: It's seen as a bit weird here in the UK - but if you have an American/Canadian/Australian accent, we will probably just accept that you don't understand "our ways" and let you off for being "over-friendly" :happy: </p> <p>That said, if the person is at your church, you're basically friends anyway, right? I mean, how big IS your church? (we struggle to fill the seats over here). Just march up to her and act like you're already friends - that's what I'd do! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-do-you-initiate-friendships-with-other-moms#post-1679955 Thu, 05 Jun 2014 06:51:40 +0000 irene 1679955@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mrskc: Oh that's so bizzare.... she initiated it first!</p> <p>Now I am bummed because no one ever "asked me out"! I must be amongst the "uncool" mothers LOL </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-do-you-initiate-friendships-with-other-moms#post-1679929 Thu, 05 Jun 2014 06:31:26 +0000 looch 1679929@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I initiate, lol. I am not shy and I find that most people are open to it..except in Europe. This is not cool behavior with the locals. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-do-you-initiate-friendships-with-other-moms#post-1679720 Wed, 04 Jun 2014 23:37:08 +0000 lamariniere 1679720@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@blackbird: yep! Ask about their kid and I'm sure the conversation will take off. If things are going well, suggest a playdate. I'm pretty outgoing, so it's not that difficult for me. This is kind of how I met a really wonderful mom friend last fall. It was actually the father who approached me because he heard me speaking English with DS and we hit it off (the woman was there too) and now we see them pretty often for playdates and socializing. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-do-you-initiate-friendships-with-other-moms#post-1679643 Wed, 04 Jun 2014 22:23:25 +0000 mrskc 1679643@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I've found you just have to put yourself out there and make the first move. I met a really great mom friend at My Gym. We started out chatting and talking about our LO's. Then I just went out on a limb and asked her if she was interested at doing a park play date. She said yes, and we exchanged numbers and met up later that week. We hit if off really well and now text all the time and hang out at least once a week. </p> <p>@irene: lol that's funny about your friend! Soooo awkward. I was at My Gym class and a mom was telling me how she was looking for other kids close to her LO's age for her to hang out with. I thought maybe she was hinting at something, so I told her that another mom in the class and I meet at the park frequently and that she should join us some time. She ignored me and walked away shortly after. .... I felt awkward but oh well! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-do-you-initiate-friendships-with-other-moms#post-1679631 Wed, 04 Jun 2014 22:17:02 +0000 Mrs. Pen 1679631@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MamaMoose: that's awesome! It's great how that worked out. Gotta admit -this is one reason I'm excited for J to start daycare in August, I'm hoping to meet some other moms in my area! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-do-you-initiate-friendships-with-other-moms#post-1679519 Wed, 04 Jun 2014 21:22:24 +0000 irene 1679519@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>A friend of mine she is awesome at this. She has already exchanged numbers with a few of our daycare's parents! What she does is, she simply walk up to them and say, hey do you want to do a play date some time? Let's exchange phone numbers and we should do something together ? And it works! Of course she only does this to her son's friends' parents. Personally I would gladly exchange numbers with my son's friends' parents because I am dying to know more mothers!</p> <p>There is one case though, which cracked me up - she ran into another family in the zoo for 2 times (again we all go to the same daycare together). Her son and their son (both 2 years) know each other via daycare since 4 months, and our daycare is pretty well known and established so most parents are professionals (ie. so you kinda know it is very unlikely you'd be exchanging numbers with criminals or the likes that's what I am saying). After a bit of chatting she says, hey, great minds think alike (ie running into each other in the zoo for 2 times), do you want to exchange numbers and we'll do something together in the future? These parents completely got awkward, ignored her, and said a few things and said bye. So there are people who are a bit more reserved, but doesn't hurt to ask.... only if I had her gut I would ask everyone ;-) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-do-you-initiate-friendships-with-other-moms#post-1679503 Wed, 04 Jun 2014 21:13:07 +0000 MamaMoose 1679503@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>For us there were a few other couples that we would see at day care who we thought were cool so we went out on a limb and invited them to M's birthday party. They came and we totally hit it off. Now we hang out all the time! Which is perfect because I'm the type who prefers a few close friends to a lot of acquaintances so two solid parents friends works for me. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-do-you-initiate-friendships-with-other-moms#post-1679491 Wed, 04 Jun 2014 21:06:14 +0000 sandy 1679491@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I have a group of about 7 moms and 1 dad that I meet up with regularly and most of us met randomly. My friends joke that I am the recruiter/social director that brings in new members. DH jokes that I'm trying to date every mom in town. </p> <p>I just talk to everybody I meet that has a kid around my LO's age. Usually we talk about how old the kids are and how things are going.. And we almost always end up talking about activities we like to do with our kids. I also like to talk about great places to eat in the area or great parks for little kids. Then when it's time for one of us to leave I end up saying something like "I'd love to give you my number or get yours and I'll let you know the next time we're headed to X (zoo, park, play gym, story time, etc)". I've exchanged numbers with so many people and sometimes you hit it off and after meeting up a few times it becomes routine to just invite them to outings. Some people I don't necessarily click with right away and won't exchange numbers or call to follow up until I've run into them a few more times. I would say most everyone I talk to is open and friendly and want to form friendships with other parents. Some may have busier schedules that make it hard to meet up but if you enjoy spending time with them and their kid it is possible to form a solid friendship. Several friends I met at swimming are WOHM but we text and meet up when they have a day at home. I would say don't be afraid to put yourself out there and be as welcoming as you would want someone to be towards you </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-do-you-initiate-friendships-with-other-moms#post-1679460 Wed, 04 Jun 2014 20:53:31 +0000 Pepper 1679460@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I chat with the other moms in Gymboree all the time, but I don't really talk to many of them outside of class. One mom asked for my phone number before I stopped going for awhile, because she wanted to keep in contact for possible future play dates. We talk from time to time now!</p> <p>I think it's always kind of awkward to put yourself out there with people, but I feel like a lot of moms are pretty receptive to making new friends, especially when their LOs are close in age to yours! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-do-you-initiate-friendships-with-other-moms#post-1679441 Wed, 04 Jun 2014 20:44:50 +0000 travelgirl1 1679441@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I find it pretty easy to chat to other mums at playgroups but never really initiate play dates or take it further than "see you next week". Do you want to just chat to her at church or be friends outside? I usually start by asking about their LO and conversation usually flows from there, especially if they're at a similar age because they usually face similar challenges so we can laugh about them throwing food around the house or commiserate about sleep, etc. If I want to see them outside of that though, I usually have to just be really brave and suggest a play date, usually meeting at a park or somewhere neutral. I find mums easy it chat to casually, but not necessarily to build lasting friendships with. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-do-you-initiate-friendships-with-other-moms#post-1679436 Wed, 04 Jun 2014 20:43:07 +0000 Mrs. Taco 1679436@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@blackbird: This.</p> <p>I asked a mom at daycare how old her LO was today and we ended up talking for 10+ min....I just had to talk to her because we come in/leave at the same time each day so I always see her! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-do-you-initiate-friendships-with-other-moms#post-1679434 Wed, 04 Jun 2014 20:42:45 +0000 Mrs. Jump Rope 1679434@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I find it's easier in small groups! </p> <p>At preschool, it was the same 12 moms at pick up and drop off. Over time, three of us became close and it's expected to about six of us. </p> <p>Just talking, introducing ourselves, and initiating play dates! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-do-you-initiate-friendships-with-other-moms#post-1679429 Wed, 04 Jun 2014 20:39:35 +0000 blackbird 1679429@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Ask about THEIR kid ;) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-do-you-initiate-friendships-with-other-moms#post-1679426 Wed, 04 Jun 2014 20:38:22 +0000 Raindrop 1679426@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Gosh these types of things are SO HARD!</p> <p>A lot of my friends don't have kids yet... BUT a lot of my friend's freinds have kids and some of them started inviting me to their kid's birthday parties to break the ice I think, then I started inviting them to my kid's birthday parties and so on. Now I'm pretty good friends with all of them.</p> <p>Maybe you could invite them to something like a fair or party? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-do-you-initiate-friendships-with-other-moms#post-1679418 Wed, 04 Jun 2014 20:34:04 +0000 Mrs. Pen 1679418@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>There is this mom at my church that I really want to be friends with, but we've never technically "met" - I just see her around and her son is in the nursery with my LO - just a few months younger. </p> <p>How do you initiate friendships with other moms? do you find most moms are pretty receptive? </p>