If you're lucky, you already have lots of friends with children relatively close in age when you have a baby. Few new moms have friends who come with built-in playmates, so what do you do to find nice friends for your toddler if you don't have any other toddlers in your circle of friends and relatives?
1. Lots of local libraries organize story time for young toddlers. This isn't just a fun, educational experience for little kids story time will get you together in the same space with lots of other parents and children, and is a good opportunity to strike up a conversation with some other mom, and perhaps set up a playdate with a kid who gets on well with yours.
2. Online dating has become quite socially acceptable now. "Online playdating" may be another possibility. When my youngest was born, I was bored and felt like an outsider after we had just moved. So, I hung out online on a parenting forum a lot, chatting with other moms of young kids. Believe it or not, I met several wonderful ladies with kids of similar ages that way, and some of them have become our best friends... both the parents and the kids!
3. I personally don't like signing very young kids up for things like ballet, judo and music, but these activities may get your kids some new friends.
4. Be friendly and approachable. If you are closed and not open to interaction with other people, you are obviously less likely to meet new friends for your kids at an age where they can't yet find their own friends. So go on, and strike up a conversation with your neighbor who has kids or with a mom at the playground. Call your cousin whom you didn't see in years... whatever is relevant in your situation.
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