THREE TYPES OF MOM FRIENDS YOU NEED TO FIND
WRITTEN BY CHRISTIE ANDREASSI
hAPPY FEET SUFFOLK--THE HAPPY
MOM BLOG
You can go through life with some of the best friends, but as life changes your need for friends changes too! I know mine certainly did. While holding onto previous and precious friendships, I found myself alone in motherhood. I’ve often mentioned in previous posts, interviews etc. that while all my friends may love my kids, they certainly couldn’t relate.
So I was desperately searching for women to talk to about all the things I was going and GROWING through during the first few months of motherhood, and continue to grow through today. I’ll never sugar coat it– the most rewarding, most challenging, confusing, self-doubting, selfless, wish time could stand still ERA of your life begins with motherhood.
So, I don’t care how good your friends are— you still need mom friends. And for that matter, you need a few really good ones. The kind that can send pictures of rashes, and dirty diapers and can laugh at your kid sticking their head in the toilet without fear of judgment, because once you’re in it YOU KNOW that will be your kid sooner than later and are going to want a sounding board for all your irrational worries, laughs and what the actual f*** moments.
HERE'S THE THREE TYPES OF MOM FRIENDS YOU NEED IN YOUR LIFE:
1. The Down for Anything Friend: This is the friend that you can make plans with on a whimsical Tuesday morning when you’re looking at your kid and thinking, “what on earth am I going to do with you today.” This is your LIFE-LINE friend. The one that saves you from the walls of your house that feel smaller each day as they fill with baby gear and toys you keep asking your family NOT to buy. She’s ready to head to the library or park with dirty hair and workout leggings on because guess what, you’re her lifeline too! It is truly miraculous how much more enjoyable a day of motherhood can be when you’re sharing it with a friend over a cup of coffee. So go get yourself one of these ladies, and hold her tight!
2. Friend with Medical Background: Ok, I’m sure she knows who she is but she is my GO TO for all weird rashes, medicinal dosages, risks and rewards of various treatments, and “is this poop normal” moment. GOSH why is there ALWAYS something going on with my kids. In just my two and a half years of mothering I’ve seen Coxsackie, Covid, Roseola, Petechiae, Heat Rash (which looks way scarier than it should), Croup cough, and honestly, even more that I’m likely forgetting. Most recently, a hospitalization for Salmonella poisoning (a true WTF moment). Now if you aren’t a mother and you’re reading this, I can already hear the judgment running through your head. But, if you are, you know kids are just sick ALL. THE. DANG. TIME. And your medically trained friend is the best voice of reason for is this a Motrin or emergency room type of situation.
3. The “never really see but sends you memes” Mom Friend: Hear me out, this may be the best mom friend of ALL. No pressure, see you when I see you, but also— look how let’s talk about how weird our kids are or how impatient we are with our husbands, or even making fun of the moms we THOUGHT we would be vs. the french fry bribing, screen time over-doing, non-aesthetic toy buying moms we turned out to be. I’ll see ya at your kids birthday once a year but you know what– we tight.
Join that walking club, come to our Happy Feet Classes, spend time at a local library and chat it up with the other burnt out mom sitting next to you because these types of friends bring more Happy to my motherhood.
Love all of this! Feeling especially grateful for our time at happy feet providing me with these type of mom friends ❤️