To be sad I don’t have any real friendships

[Mum1224]

I’ve always been bad at making friends due to shyness. I actually found it easier once I had kids as you automatically had things to talk about. Recently I feel lonely as I realise I don’t have any real friendships m, it’s just hi snd bye type friendships. I really do try and ask people to meet up for coffee or dinner with kids or without but I always get told they will let me know and definitely will but nothing ever happens.

Due to covid I feel it’s more difficult now but I can’t blame covid for all years prior to this.

My question is how can I make real friendships? I feel really down today as I found out the boy mums in DD’s class always meet up and invite each other for birthday parties. I have tried to get close to them but feel they don’t really want to engage.

saying hi and bye to people doesn’t sound like you are friends, I say hi and bye to a few people at the school but wouldn’t say that’s a friendship, I agree it’s hard though, everyone said I would make loads of mum Friends once my children started school but it just never happened. I know there are apps to make friends however I wouldn’t use them personally.

Yeah I wouldn’t use apps either. When I said hi and bye I mean they seem really happy to see me at school gate and we chat and WhatsApp regularly with a few mums but we don’t really meet outside of this and socialise. I really do try. I feel especially sad as my sister goes out regularly with her group of friends and told me just ask them to meet up. She makes it sound so easy but it’s difficult. I just get the feeling they don’t want to socialise with me.