Seeking Advice as to What to Do

Updated on January 13, 2009
T.S. asks from Ridgefield, CT
4 answers

Hi Mom's,
I have a strange problem and after lot of thought decided to ask for advice.
I moved to Ct about two years or so ago from NYC .In the city i had a huge circle of friends and enjoyed a great social life. After the birth of my child things suddenly changed(besides the obv), my sister and mom(whom i am very close to) moved to Europe, my best friend moved across the country, and my sis-in-law(another close friend ) moved to another state. In all everything changed and we moved to CT(i gave up my job to be a SAHM).The problem is even though I’ve joined toddler classes etc i suddenly realized i have no friends with whom i can just hang out with. Though i talk everyday to my family i miss the companionship of gals just hanging about. It kind of just hit me few days ago that except for doing stuff with my son/dogs or hubby i have not in over a year done any other socializing. My problem is how on earth do i go about making friends?? I have joined toddler classes/go to story telling, the mall etc etc but even after a year of those classes i have not made any friends. Its the first time in my adult life i am without any friends or family close by so i am clueless as to what to do. I am shy so for me to walk up to strangers is not a easy thing but I’ve tried to be friendly go out more but ... I understand that things change, that’s life but my life has changed so much in the last year that even though i so so love my child/hubby and dogs i still feel so lonely.
Any advice mom's??

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H.G.

answers from New York on

So many of us are in the same boat, Tina! We moved to New Jersey last year, leaving all our family and friends behind. And even though I talk to everyone daily/weekly, it's not the same. My husband and I both miss having social lives. (He has a long commute, so even with work- it's not easy for him to meet people.) Go to www.meetup.com and/or google "Mothers and More." It really helped me to get into a regularly scheduled playgroup, rather than just classes. Eventually, you'll meet one or two moms that you really click with. I even started my own meetup group, when I felt out of place in the groups around me.

Eventually, I realized I also had to rediscover the pre-mom me, and I am learning not to feel guilty about that! It's so great to take a class (drawing, gardening, etc.) or go to a mom's night out- I'm finally getting to talk like a grown up again. And it's saving my sanity, and my marriage...

Good luck, and be aggressive in the search for your own happiness! As I've gotten less bogged down in guilt, I've become such a better mom. And I think both my son and husband appreciate me more, when I'm smiling and feeling like I have a life (even a small one) outside our home!

1 mom found this helpful
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A.H.

answers from New York on

join a club for you.. even a health club... or book club.. or have bunko at your house and invite some of the people you have met.. maybe if you have them over.. they will then have you over.. and a better friendship will happen. good luck. I hated it when I first moved.. but started inviting anyone I could find over... and now I have tons of friends.. how about inviting a few parents over for Superbowl... or going to a local bar for the superbowl.. you'll meet people.. just give it time

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

C.R.

answers from Syracuse on

Hey Tina,
Me too! we moved from Long Island to the syracuse area about 18months ago...to a small town...and although I have made some (casual)friends it's been really lonely. I did the same thing Hannah advised and joined a meet up group and although it's been great because now I know where to go and what there is to do I haven't found any close relationships. We moved from Florida to L.I. and it took me about 2 years before I met one of my now best friends...so there is hope :) I started selling Gold Canyon Candles to get me out of the house and in the party circle and I have met a lot of people through that and it's fun...but it is hard moving to a place where people have been friends for all their lives and although they like me and sometimes include me, they already have their group of friends. i just make sure that I make the first move when I am doing something with my kids...I took them sledding and I called as many people as I could think of to tell them we'd be there and a lot of people did show..I think it just takes time and effort on us new people...keep making the first move and even if you don't click with everybody eventually someone will introduce you to someone you will click with...when I joined mamasource I thought I was going to meet local people..not knowing my "local area" was several states :) but hey...you just got to keep trying! Best of luck! I'm right there with you!
C.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

D.S.

answers from New York on

Hey Tina,

I am sure all of these changes have been very difficult on you there has been tremendous loss for you this year.
Is there a local high school near you that holds night classes, like yoga, pilates, computer classes, or cake decorating, anything that might interest you. Joining toddler groups is great but the moms are probably just as busy as you are to socialize. Try to find a hobby that you may like and then seek out a place that you can go to. It could be a ceramics class, bingo at a local church anywhere where women go for the same reasons as you to socialize. It is difficult when you relocate I remember when we moved to Florida when I was a teen it was so h*** o* my mom because she didn't work. Is it possible to get a little part-time job at night when hubby gets home just for some extra money and also another way to meet friends. Good luck!!

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