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Tell Fairy Non Bio about how you and your DC make friends - win a £300 voucher! NOW CLOSED

260 replies

JustineBMumsnet · 19/07/2017 14:33

As part of our partnership with Fairy Non Bio, we’ve produced the Mumsnet Babies Podcast. There are ten episodes in the series and episode 7, which you can listen to here, is about making friends and being nice. When you get the chance, Fairy Non Bio would like you to listen to the podcast and share your thoughts - not just about the new friends you’ve made since having a baby, but also about how your baby socialises with other children.

Whether you go to parenting groups and classes in your spare time or not, making friends as a new mother isn’t always easy. Have you felt like it can be isolating, and that you have nothing in common with the other mothers in your area (apart from the presence of your tiny children)? Or perhaps you’ve found that parenting can be a reason to bond with other people, even if it’s just a case of having someone to grumble with about sleepless nights and dirty nappies? And of course it would be negligent to forget to mention Mumsnet as a platform on which mums can socialise and make new friends!

And then, as your baby gets older, their social life may become the minefield you need to navigate. Have you been mystified by your little one's’ ability to make best friends with complete strangers in the playground? Perhaps you’ve struggled to deal with getting them to share nicely with other children?

Whatever your experiences of friendship during early motherhood, post on the thread below and you’ll be entered into a prize draw to win a £300 Love2Shop voucher!

If you’d like to rate the Mumsnet Babies Podcast, please go to the iTunes store and leave a review.

Thanks and good luck,

MNHQ

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Tell Fairy Non Bio about how you and your DC make friends - win a £300 voucher! NOW CLOSED
OP posts:
sweir1 · 05/08/2017 10:43

We joined a local salsa class. It was a great way of making friends

pinkunicornsarefluffy · 05/08/2017 11:42

DD makes friends quite easily and attends a lot of clubs after school. She is an only child, so prefers to do activities with friends. She has friends in Brownies and Dance class that attend other primary schools, so does have friends outside of her own age group/school.

It is harder as an adult to make new friends. I often envy new people who move into the area and seem to immediately make friends, but then they often join groups as helpers, or join the PTA, and I just don't have time for that.

KnottedAnchorChief · 05/08/2017 11:51

Anti natal clinic introduced me to other mums and was fortunate enough to retain these friendships, which have been amazing. Making new friends as an adult can be tricky though, especially with a new baby, so it's really important to get out and about to clubs, coffee dates, play sessions etc. Older DC's are now very sociable as a result and make friends fairly easily.

allotmentgirl82 · 05/08/2017 16:16

I made friends when I joined my local Ladies Circle group.
My DC made friends through school and from playing out.

daisyduke66 · 05/08/2017 21:27

I've found that the children quite naturally pal up and make friends on a group basis, perhaps leading on to a closer friendships with one or two, especially in a playgroup/nursery setting. As for myself, these meetings were all very child orientated and I wouldn't say that I made any long term friendships although plenty of acquaintances.

KittyKat88 · 05/08/2017 23:39

I moved to our present house when my oldest DD was 6 months old. I immediately found a local mums and tots group to join and that really helped me to make friends. I don't have any family support nearby, so having a good, supportive friendships was important. We also had a lovely SureStart group when we first moved, and I some of the children are now in my DD's class at school. It is very important to expose your child to lots of social situations and different places from early on as I believe it helps them to have confidence whenever they go to new places. My DD will always chat to other children; particularly in parks or soft-play centres when she wants to find a 'temporary' friend to join her in a game!

JasmineGreen · 06/08/2017 12:39

I made friends through a postnatal group set up at my local health centre. It was great because it meant I made friends as soon as I had my baby, rather than later on at toddler groups. Those children then became friends as they got bigger.

strawberrisc · 06/08/2017 14:58

I personally like to keep in with my small, intimate circle of incredible friends and I find it difficult to talk to strangers, simply because I don't want to. However, when you have a child you do have to be a bit more open, I think. I will talk to Mums in the local parks or soft-play areas but only to make friends for my daughter via their children. It's a huge effort for me but an important one.

goldenretriever1978 · 06/08/2017 21:32

I found that a lot of groups that I went to already had 'cliques' so it was hard to make friends. It can be isolating so I think that it is necessary to make the effort.

Smellophant87 · 06/08/2017 21:53

We just went to lots of groups! Some of our closest friends now are ones we met at his swimming lessons, and tums to ones at the local children's centre. I found that going consistently makes a difference, seeing the same people and striking up conversations over the weeks. My son generally socialises pretty well, although he does struggle with sharing and turn taking at times - but what 3 year old doesn't?!

emzlovesyou · 06/08/2017 22:45

With our first baby i went to a few toddler groups, he started preschool at the age of 2 and i formed a very close bond with a group of mums! Now we are so close and there are 5 of us who regularly go out for dinner, plan trips out for the children and make an effort.

With our second and third baby it was different - Yes I went to groups with them but it was harder to make friends.. I think this is because I always make time for the group of friends made with our first born.

lolamia91 · 06/08/2017 23:57

definitely baby groups!

angeleyes2022 · 07/08/2017 09:18

It can be quite difficult to make new friends... I was new to the area and didn't know a lot of people.
I attended a couple of Parent and toddler groups, one I left in tears because it was like keeping up with the Jones' after this episode, I promised myself not to be silly again, so I found another two groups that were welcoming and I asked other parents if they wanted to meet up for a coffee and then we started going out for lunch too. It was great to share experiences and just have people to talk to.
I helped start up a baby-toddler group and ensured that all that attended felt welcome and they had a drink and a snack whilst a few of us coo'd over the babies 😊
I've made some lovely friends and feel very lucky x

sofieellis · 07/08/2017 10:51

My kids are fairly quiet, but always seem to have to nice group of friends from school and other activities. I have found parenthood quite isolating, as my kids have got older. I don't work and DS3 now travels to school on the bus, so I don't get to chat to other parents in the school playground, like I used to do.

avery64 · 07/08/2017 15:44

When I was a new Mum in a new village I found it hard as I'm not the most outgoing of people however long days with a new baby who slept a lot made me feel very isolated. Hubby had the car for his work and public transport was virtually non-existent I took to going out for long walks. I met so many people who needed to talk as much as I did and the baby was the perfect intermediate. Who can resist a sleeping infant?

sophiefx · 07/08/2017 16:22

We visit baby groups in the area and it gets easier every time we go to make friends :-)

mumpetuk1 · 07/08/2017 20:00

We go to the local park and clubs to make friends

rocketriffs · 07/08/2017 20:02

I can take my boy almost anywhere and he will come up to me and say he's just made a new friend. A great ice breaker because after that you get chatting to the new friends parents, so most friends are made through play.

clarabella12 · 07/08/2017 21:02

I was never one to go to play groups as I work but I love play dates with work friends and their children.

Theimpossiblegirl · 07/08/2017 21:06

I find it harder as the kids get older. Every so often they make a friend and I hit it off with the mum, but it's rare. I'm lucky that several of my colleagues have become good friends. I also live in a lovely village where they have been very welcoming to us as a new family.

manfalou · 07/08/2017 21:21

Talking to mums at the school gates has gained me so many friends. More so than baby groups

Summergarden · 07/08/2017 21:38

At baby groups I had to be proactive and ask other mums out for coffee.

My DCs make friends who have mutual interests at their extra curricular activities.

hdh747 · 08/08/2017 07:38

Get out plenty and talk to people everywhere, and listen, and teach the children good manners and kindness.

JayJay1874 · 08/08/2017 11:13

Baby groups help, plenty of opportunities to chat and share experiences. Met a few at the soft play too, chatting while watching.

snare · 08/08/2017 11:57

I get to know the school mums through parties and pta :)