Having kids doesn’t have to mean you have less time for your friends. In fact, it can be an opportunity to develop new friendships. In the whirlwind of parenthood, it can be easy to forget about your friends. However, they are probably just waiting for you to reach out and spend some time together again. Keeping the connection with your friends is so important in your life as a parent. Here are some ideas on how you can be a good friend with kids and remain connected even when work, school and home life conspire against you.
Set aside time for your friends.
If you want to remain connected to your friends, you need to make time for them. So many parents make the mistake of pulling away from their friends because they feel guilty. They feel like they should be spending all their time with their kids. The reality is that you will have your kids for the rest of your life, and the kids will always come first. So there is no point in sacrificing your friendships. Make time for your friends, and let them know that you value and appreciate them.
Plan activities with your friends and their kids.
If you want to remain connected with your friends with kids, plan regular activities with them. If you and your friend each have kids, try to coordinate schedules so that you are both available to do fun things with one another. If you have child-free friends, try to set a regular date if you can. Even though they might not have kids, they will appreciate the fact that you want to spend time with them. It can be hard to balance everything when you have kids, so if you and a friend want to meet up, try to avoid kid-related activities. Parents often find that after spending the day around their kids, they just want some quiet time.
Make plans to see each other outside of the house.
If you want to remain connected to your friends and their kids, try to make plans outside of the house. You can still do kid-related activities, but try to make them happen outside of the house. You might even find that your friends appreciate the opportunity to get out of the house. If you’re going out for dinner, for example, you can all have a quiet meal. If you make plans with a group of friends, you can still have fun and catch up. If you have a friend whose child also has a birthday coming up, try to find a way to celebrate with both kids together. This will help to keep the connection between the kids strong, too.
Keep in touch with Skype or other video calls.
If you want to remain connected to your friends, but they don’t live nearby, try to keep in touch with video calls. You will find that technology makes it easier than ever to keep in touch with friends you don’t see on a regular basis. You can make plans to get together virtually and make sure that you keep the connection going. When you are video chatting, don’t forget to include the kids. This is especially important if they don’t get to see the other kids very often. Having the opportunity to see their friends on video can help to keep the connection strong.
You don’t need to be a superhero parent.
One of the most common reasons people give for not maintaining their friendships is the feeling that they have to be a “superhero parent.” They’re so afraid of making a mistake that they decide to back away from their friends and their kids. Here’s the thing: no one expects you to be a superhero parent. In fact, your friends probably expect you to make mistakes. That’s just part of being a human being. However, they do expect you to try to do the right thing. If you let the guilt of being a parent overwhelm you, you’re not being a good friend to your kids.
Conclusion
Having kids doesn’t mean that you have to abandon your friendships. In fact, it can be an opportunity to develop new friendships. In the whirlwind of parenthood, it can be easy to forget about your friends. However, they are probably just waiting for you to reach out and spend some time together again. Keeping the connection with your friends is so important in your life as a parent. Set aside time for your friends, make plans to see each other outside of the house, and keep in touch with Skype or other video calls. You don’t need to be a superhero parent to remain connected to your friends.