Comments on: The Dreaded (But Oh, So Important) Mommy Networking

By: JaniceNW

JaniceNW — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 00:24:08 +0000

Now we started mommy networking when my now 21yo was 8 weeks old. I was a SAHM with NO ONE to talk to all day long. I lived in a nice burb in the OC so there were ‘events’ to mommy network like walking around the lake every thursday morning. work off the baby weight and meet others with kids of the same age cohort.

Now my boys are 18 and 21 and I don’t know any of their friends’ parents. Kinda lost the whole mommy thang when I went back to college and youngest started high school.

I can get lonely as I look my first nursing job and my first job(at all) since 1988~~~

At least you have a spouse you like to converse with. ahem. yeah.

By: TJ

TJ — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 23:25:29 +0000

I think I might look forward to Mommy Networking some day, if there are inflatable slides around. It’s like getting a free pass to get on inflatable slides even though you are decidedly too old for inflatable slides.

Also? I didn’t think anyone willingly came to Arizona! (Sorry, sometimes my bitterness at having to live here and not know anyone comes through.)

By: Amy

Amy — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 22:48:02 +0000

You could do a amatur chef/recipe cooking get together where each week someone brings the wine and ingredients and you make the food. Like a kitchen swap!

By: Hillary @ The Other Mama

Hillary @ The Other Mama — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 17:54:48 +0000

The mommy part of the parties are always the reasons that I GO!! I have to shew away my youngest so mommy can talk. You are awesome and so much fun. And apparently you are making big strides! haha! I’m sure you’ve always been wonderful.
And I do know that particular place you are referring to with parties and it’s one of our favorites, too. So much so that my hubs and a certain group of dads ALWAYS compete in the big long inflatable during lunch/ pizza time. Very un-35-like, but at least they get some excersize!!

By: Christina

Christina — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 14:59:14 +0000

It is like freakin’ dating… this Mommy stuff. I swear to you. Drives me batty. And worse yet is when you do make friends and try to intergrate the friends and they do not get along?! OY VEY.

The dreaded words I hear more and more often from my four year old is this: “Mommy will you call so and so’s Mommy so I can play with so and so…” I mumble something about Mommy’s social anxiety and run away to hide! No not really.

Like you I am trying to be better about not getting nervous and attending as much as my time allows and make new friends not just for my son but for me too. It is good and healthy to branch out and meet new people. It is good to have like minded people around you and you never know who can be a friend for life. In the same vein it is also okay to know who is not a good fit for you.

Any who, parenting is wild!

By: The Other Laura

The Other Laura — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 14:39:47 +0000

One of the reasons I love reading you is that you always remind me that what I think is crazy and strange about myself is actually pretty normal.

Social things are hard for me too. I am slowly getting a bit better at them.

By: Jen

Jen — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 13:23:22 +0000

I can totally relate. My anxiety about mommy networking is soo bad and I’m sure I miss out on lots of fun stuff because of it. I’m going to try to make a point to be better just like you. I am actually going to call one of my son’s friends moms and ask about a play date for tomorrow since schools are out. I’m already nervous at just the thought of calling her which is totally stupid b/c she is soo nice and soo friendly.