help needed to know how to make friends

[desparatelyseekingsomething]

I'm good at meeting people in that I can happily chat to people at work, in school playgrounds, at evening classes etc but I always struggle with moving from acquaintances-that-you-see-at-the-activity to friends. I'm not sure how it is done - any suggestions :)

In some respects you have to be quite bold and not scared of rejection.
A few examples:
If you seem to get on ok with a parent or parents at your DC's school - a week or so before half term or summer hols., why not suggest meeting up somewhere (preferably inexpensive) with the children. They will have a great time and you can get to know one another over a coffee. All you have to do is text the place, day and time and see who turns up.

Apply the same logic at evening class - but a pub might be better :-)!

I met a friend (didn't know her very well) at a tots group and there were a few of us left at the end, and she very boldly said - "does anyone want to come back to mine for lunch?" - we all did (4 of us), and are good friends to this day.

You'll be amazed how many people will bite your arm off because they're actually in the same boat as you!

Good luck!

I have to agree with KeepCool, you've got to be bold.

My DS does a music workshop and they gave a little concert last week. It was the first time all the parents were involved and got to meet each other. I got chatting to another mum during the break and at the end she asked if I'd like to swap phone numbers and meet up somewhere where the kids can play and we can have coffee. We are meeting up next weekend.

It must take some bottle to 'put yourself out there' but it's something I'm definitely going to try, especially given that I didn't think she was a desperate weirdo (which is what I worry people will think about me if I did this!).