Hi all, Apologies for the very long post! I’m just looking for some advice from other mums out there about making friends and well , life really…because I’m just struggling, feel unhappy and in a bad place really.
I have three very young children and I work for myself, I have pretty much no friends. I have no support except for my dad, who’s great but our relationship is tricky and any help I get I feel terribly guilty for after.
I don’t really go out at all, because of working late or lack of childcare. Childcare would be fine if I wanted to go out alone because my partner would have the kids but then I just don’t have anyone to go out with…
When I do go out I occasionally go for a meal with my partner,but he’s never that keen to organise anything. He seems unhappy lately too, either on his phone or Xbox or snapping at us when he’s home . (I’m questioning if he even wants to spend time with me. last night I mentioned about us arranging a night out and he said, the trouble is we need couples to go out with otherwise it’s just me and you… 😢I said well yes but that’s ok, I just need a night out. Then I said why don’t you invite one of your work friends out with their wife and we can try and meet new people but he said everyone’s boring and wouldn’t want to. (Which is probably true we’ve tried arranging things before with old friends and they just cancel last minute so I think he’s given up)
I just feel so so lonely! I have a social job, I’m a hairdresser but can’t meet anyone through that as I work alone with my customers. I’ve tried meeting some mums at the school or playgroups (and I don’t know if it’s just where I live) but everyone seems so unfriendly or in a rush and never wants to talk to you. I have spoken to a few of them at kids parties and that’s gone well but then the next day at the school I’m lucky if I get a hello when they walk past. A few I’ve actually just asked if they wanted to meet up, we have and it’s been great and then they’ve found out what I do for a job and have just wanted their hair done and have become clients and don’t seem to want to meet up with me in a friend way again, or they simply just haven’t awnsered me again.
I was at a kids party this afternoon and one of my existing customers came in and sat with a group of mums next to me, I looked at her as she walked in to say hello but she just looked through me so I carried on sitting alone watching all the other people I didn’t know chatting away together. And that just really hit me, that someone that I’ve known for 12 years wouldn’t even acknowledge me when I’m sitting alone. It sounds pathetic but I so wish I had people, or just a best friend. I used to have friends but since the children were born they’ve all just faded away and tbh I wouldn’t say I ever clicked with any of them fully, I was just was part of a group back then but it always seemed to be me making the effort.
I’m quite an anxious person which doesn’t help and I find it hard to push myself to talk to people, but I’ve really been trying lately! I think what also really hasn’t helped is I fell out with my mum last year, she said some very hurtful things about me and at this point I think there must be something wrong with me, I keep replaying all the things she said over in my head and I just feel so bad about myself. People don’t seem to stick around in my life and I just don’t know why. I don’t know if I do something wrong but I think I must do.
I love my kids to bits! but it’s hard work and just having some other people in my life would help so much, because right now they’re all I have. I don’t even feel that connected to my partner anymore. My dread is that one day my kids will turn to me and ask why I don’t have any friends, or why I don’t do anything. I don’t want them to think that’s normal. I want them to find relationships easier than I have.
Anyway sorry for the rant, any advice on how I can meet people or basically how to make this better is appreciated x