Building Adult Friendships as Your Kids Grow Up

Building and maintaining adult friendships is so hard when you are a parent! 

After prioritizing your family, you might not have strong social connections outside the home. 

Adult friendships offer emotional support, a chance to share experiences, and a reminder of who you are beyond being a parent. However, finding and maintaining friendships as an adult can feel quite challenging, especially if you haven’t prioritized that for quite some time. 

Staying connected with friends supports your well-being and models healthy relationships for your children.

Here is a simple guide on helping you build and nurture adult friendships as your kids grow up! 

Tips for Building and Maintaining Friendships

Parents often find that their social circles change as they raise their children. Between time constraints, school schedules, extracurricular activities, and personal responsibilities, focusing on relationships outside your family can be difficult. 

Here are a few tips to help you build some adult friendships: 

Reconnect with Old Friends

Reconnecting with past friends can definitely be easier than starting new relationships sometimes!

Reach out with a friendly text or plan a casual meet-up to catch up and rekindle your friendship. You can share some of your favorite old memories together and have fun creating new ones, too!

Join Community Groups and Events 

Being active in your community helps you meet new people, especially those who share your interests. 

Book clubs, fitness classes, volunteer opportunities, or workshops related to your hobbies are great starting points. 

Many community centers offer parent-focused programs that help you meet others in similar life stages, too!

Connect Through Kids’ Activities 

Your child’s activities can also provide another opportunity to meet other parents. Try to introduce yourself to other parents, whether it’s sports games, music recitals, or other school functions. 

Casual conversations during practices or events can sometimes lead to strong, lasting friendships.

Set Boundaries and Schedule Time 

Just as you schedule time for work or family, prioritize social activities by planning regular meet-ups with your friends. 

A monthly coffee date or dinner with friends may seem simple, but it can go a long way toward keeping your relationship strong. 

Use Technology to Help 

In today’s world, some friendships will have to use technology. You can easily stay connected to friends near and far by using group chats and video calls! 

Even a quick check-in text can keep you connected to each other, helping your friendships stay strong despite the distance or time limitations you have while raising your family. 

Maintaining Friendships Despite Busy Schedules

Friendships need nurturing, even if you can’t meet very often. 

A small gesture, such as sending a thoughtful text or sharing a funny video you found on social media, keeps your relationship strong and alive. 

You may have to find creative ways to incorporate friends into your daily life, like inviting them over for family game nights or weekend brunches that include your kids. 

This balance between family time and adult friendships is so important to helping your entire well-being as a parent and individual. 

While building and nurturing adult friendships takes effort and sometimes time away from family, it is worth it. 

Start with a small step today: send that message, join that group, or plan that coffee date. Your future self (and friends) will thank you!