Making family friends

[Luaa]

My daughter is really struggling with friends at school and I also struggle to make new friends. I'd really like it if we could make friends with some other families, to support both of us a bit but I have no idea how to start.

The only thing I've thought of so far is joining a church, but we would be joining for the community not the religion, so I don't think that's the solution.

Any suggestions for how to make family friends or do I just accept both of us will always struggle with this?

but we would be joining for the community not the religion,

Nothing wrong with that. Many Church goers could worship at home, but they choose to go to Church regularly for the wonderful sense of community they get from it.

As a rule though, I can't think of many people I would consider "family friends". I have friends of mine that the dc (when they were little) came along with me and played with my friend's dc. I can think of parents of my dcs' friends that I get on with and might socialise with at a function to do with that hobby or whatever (eg end of season sports presentation night). However, the only family I can think of where I'd say our dc would stay in touch, even after we've gone - ie, that they are true friends with each other as well - is my friend from school, who I've been in touch with ever since, and they have grown up as friends since the first one was born. Even then, they are more 'social media' friends and 'get on when we get together as 2 families' friends rather than 'would arrange to meet up without us' friends.

I think it would be quite unusual fr you to happen to form a close bond with parents and coincidentally for the dc to form close bonds with each other, if they've not grown up together / had shared experiences over some years.

There wouldn't be anything wrong with going to church or any other place of worship just for the community. I think that lots of people do that - though you would have to find a church, where you could go along with its values.

I think that you may not make family friends, as this is more unusual than you think. If you chose the church carefully (and you might have to research this and try a few out), you might find a youth group for your daughter and another group for adults where you might make friends.