By Michelle Shearer
The social side of our lives can really hit the skids when little ones arrive in our lives. We can find ourselves zombified with the shock of no sleep and meeting the 24/7 needs of another little human being and then with a bit of “what the hell just happened?!” (or maybe that was just me!) thrown in, often the last thing we want to do is go and ‘hang out’. BUT, research has shown that being sociable is a significant key to happiness, longevity and good health:
“Studies indicate that “social capital” is one of the biggest predictors for health, happiness, and longevity. The problem: we often do not recognize the importance of social connection. Our culture values hard work, success, and wealth, so it’s no surprise some of us do not set aside enough time for social ties ..” Julie Croteau and Dorothy Ryan
That’s all well and good and there’ll be more from MamaBake about the power of social connection next week.. But what about when a mum moves to a new town away from long held friends and family? Where does she start?
One mama contacted us recently asking our community how she might get out there to make some new friends and, as always, the MamaBake replied with great kindness and care and put forth their tips that worked for them and helped them forge friendships and community ties.
9 Ways to Meet Other Mums
- Join a playgroup! You can do it
- Find a Mum’s walking group
- Put up a poster and start a MamaBake group – meet somewhere neutral in the first instance to get to know one another.
- Go out walking every day – you’d be surprised who you end up talking to!
- Spend time at the local park – have a coffee there, hang out with your wee ones and see who you meet.
- Join your local Australian Breastfeeding Association group
- Attend toddler events at your local library
- If your children are school age, chat with other mums at the school gates.
- Meet other mums in your area in online forums such as MamaBake and meetup to hang out with other mums through shared interests.
And if all else fails, you come and hang out with us over here, okay? x
