Mommy friends – the family you find along the way

Mommy friends – a special breed. A type of friendship that’s unconditional. A friendship that knows no limits and has a bond like no other.

Who else would you call at 6:15am on a snow day to plan for the day? Or reach out to when you’re stuck and need someone to pick the kids up at school? Who do you text 100 times a day about anything and everything and never get sick of each other? Or take a day off parenting together to go to the spa or hike a mountain?? Mommy friends of course.

These are the friends that you’ve made along the way. The ones who have been there with you from the beginning of your parenting journey. That time when your son threw up at the mall and they were there to help clean it up. They were there the first time you dropped your child off at daycare and sat with you in the parking lot while you cried. The ones who supported you when you were at your wits end during a tantrum, who laughed with you during a pootastrophy, and ate endless amounts of ice cream with you during the most difficult of days.

These friends are also the ones that you met at the arena, the basketball court, the schoolyard, and the pool. The ones that sat with you on school committees and watched your child go through all their big milestones.

These friends are special. They understand. They’ve been there throughout, and have gone through the same ups and downs.

If I could speak to my younger mom self, I would advise her of the bond created by having mommy friends. I would remind her how important it is to say YES when asked to join a music class or a playgroup.

I would tell her to go out of her comfort zone and join a group or two- even if she didn’t know anyone there. I would tell her to organize play dates and activities and invite those moms to hang out afterward.

When the moms invite her for dinner, a walk, or apple picking, I would tell her to go, not to miss out because she was too exhausted. I would tell her to just say YES- because even though it’s easier to say no, to stay home, or to do her own thing, the value that these relationships bring is immeasurable.

As I sit here planning my son’s bar mitzvah (a right of passage for a Jewish boy becoming a man at the age of 13), I realize how fortunate I am that I allowed myself to say YES. I’ve surrounded myself with the best group of moms, that are there for me unconditionally, and that love my children as their own.

You never know when you’re going to meet those special people. Those that will end up being lifelong friends. So go ahead, take that step. Say YES, and enjoy everything that comes along with it.