www.FamilyAndKidsGA.com
3
HOO’s INSPIRED
MAKING New Friends AS AN B y M a ri a Ph ill ipAs, dult
During my childhood years I struggled to make
Heather A. and Heather B. “like me,” but I always
had my ride-or-die crew. My best friends were
decided in the 5th grade and we grew up together.
Choosing largely different paths in life, we still keep
in touch, but with 900 miles between us, we can’t
exactly meet for drinks or our beloved Monopoly
nights. Finding new pals has required me to reach
out of my comfort zone. It’s not like I can just stand
on the curb with a sign that says “I need friends.”
Sometimes I think that method would be less
nerve-racking than randomly approaching, ahem,
“strangers.”
I’ve been testing these methods to acquire new
friendships, and although trying, it’s been quite
successful:
Use Your Kids: If you’re at a
playground and your child is playing well with
another kiddo, arrange a play date. Even if you don’t
have much in common with this parent, it’s nice to
have the contact for your child and adult sidekick
at the playground and other kid-involved events. If
you’re not clicking with anyone on the playground,
consider a mom group. For a list of local mom
groups, visit our website FamilyandKidsGA.com and
click “guides.”
Besides volunteer work being
gratifying, it also brings an opportunity to be
around like-minded individuals. Even if you don’t
“click” outside of volunteering, you’ll get some
socialization and help the community. You may
just make a friend to volunteer with, and that’s
perfectly OK.
Join a club: I feel like as an adult, “clubs”
are totally under-rated. They exist! Whether it’s
a meeting at Chattahoochee Valley Library for
coloring and coffee, or a local group of knitters,
there’s a club for you. Finding it, however, may
not be easy. Try Google or check the local library’s
schedule of events. Many hobby shops or craft
stores can also refer you in the right direction.
Pursue Similar Interests: I’ve
made a really good friend through a fan group I
joined online. Turns out, we have similar interests
besides fangirling. Going on a friend date and
knowing you already have something in common is
a great start. Plus, if the conversation lags, you can
easily circle back to the common ground. If you see
someone everyday at Starbucks, ask to join them
for coffee. If you notice a co-worker has marathon
stickers on their vehicle just like you, ask if they’d
like to go running.
You may
be surprised to find out you are not alone; a lot of
parents are in need of new friends. Simply put a post
out in a local Facebook group asking for a play date
at a local playground or play place and see where it
leads. A benefit of searching for friends online is the
low-pressure environment of a message bubble. A
great place to start is our “Parenting Network of the
Chattahoochee Valley” on Facebook at: Facebook.
com/groups/FamilyandKidsGA.
Making new friends isn’t always easy. We all wish
we could go back to 3rd grade when our matching
Lisa Frank backpacks were enough reason to be
BFFs forever and we skipped merrily off into the
sunset. Having anxiety to approach someone new is
completely normal. Remind yourself the benefits of
having a new friend by your side. Plus, if it doesn’t
work out, you’re not obligated to continue on.
Friendship dating is a real thing, you make yourself
a little vulnerable, but nothing worth having comes
easy in life.
Family & Kids
/www.FamilyAndKidsGA.com
/FamilyandKidsGA.com