When you become a parent friendships change. Suddenly, friends take a back seat to that new, squashy bundle in your life. Some friends stick around for this change in your life, some friends you never see again, and then there are the friends you meet along the way in your new journey. I know I have needed a variety of friends to get through my days as a mom.
When the days are long (and the often nights longer), I have my supports that I can call. I've needed each of them at different times through these last few years. They have gotten me through those days that I'm fairly certain I could lose my sanity.
Go over the list, think which of your friends fall into which categories, and then set up some friend time with each of them because chances are, momma, you need it.
1.) The No Kids Friend. You don't go to your childless (and/or still single) friends to commiserate about the challenges of motherhood and/or marriage. No, you go to them to remember life before all of that. Sometimes, you need a moment to simply forget your responsibilities and live life carefree.
2.) The Childhood Friend. That friend that has known you pretty much your entire life. They know you, your family, your family's family, and who your secret crush was in sixth grade. They seem to know exactly what you need, exactly what to say, and they can order your favorite drink before you even arrive at the restaurant because, naturally, you're running behind.
3.) The Other Mom Friend. Whether you met her at a lactation class, in the formula aisle at Target, or on meet the teacher night as you both realized your babies were growing up, she gets it. She gets the challenges, the every day hurdles, and she's going to cry with you as you recall how stressful it is to get kids out the door each morning. She gets your life and the emotions that go along with it. She's also one to "hit the town" with because you could both use a night out....and she'll likely be ready to leave when you are because neither one of you are used to drinking AND staying up past 10:30. Like, woah.
4.) The Work Friend. These friends are totally underrated. You spend just as much time with them as you do your family. They deal with your bad moods, celebrate with you on special occasions, and hear your stories. They give advice and share their stories. Sometimes work can be a mini-getaway from the parenting craziness and your work friends are right there with you.
5.) The friend that you hardly ever see, but somehow pick up right where you left off. You can go months or years without seeing this friend and suddenly you can pick up as though no time has passed. When you get together the conversation is half catch up, half pep talk about everything in life.
6.) The Hot Mess Friend. You have that one friend that is just drama, drama, drama. They can be entertaining and so much fun to hang out with, but truthfully, the real reason you hang out with them is because they make you soooo thankful for your own life. This friend can somehow make your crazy seem like nothing. For this, you are grateful.
7.) The Online Friend(s). You've likely never even met some of these friends, but they're in your Facebook mom groups, the chat rooms, or wherever else it is you go online. Somehow, there's that one mom who always asks questions or shares stories that mimic your life exactly. It's actually a tad scary, but you're always happy to hear you're not alone in feeling clueless. Plus, you can "talk" to her in the middle of the night with no bra on and no one thinks it's weird.
Whether you have friends that fit into these categories or friends that fit in their own category, simply be thankful that you have an awesome support system to get you through momming.