Playdates

I've come to the conclusion that every mom needs to be a member of a playgroup with regular play dates.

I remember being invited to my first playgroup almost 4 years ago. I was very excited for my daughter to gain social exposure and to start interacting with her peers. Little did I know that playgroups are an ingenious invention by moms to give not the children, as one would expect, but the mom's themselves social exposure and interaction with her peers.

I learned it wasn't about the kids so much but about the moms. The snacks were geared toward moms - coffee and some sort of chocolate type deal with a small bowl of goldfish or pretzels set aside for the kids. The kids were thrown a bunch of toys to occupy them and the moms sat inside on the couch discussing anything from Hollywood gossip to diaper training experiences. The kids are mainly looked at as a interruption of the conversation.

I was immediately excited and looking forward to my next playgroup. It was even worth cleaning my house to host a playgroup which is always a big undertaking. My adult vocabulary began to come back to me slowly and I learned there were other moms out there as bored and exhausted as I was just looking for some friendship and conversation.

The kids do benefit from this too. I really believe a happy mom equals happy kids. So if you aren't already a member of a playgroup, start your own. Start a Yahoo or Meet Up group for your area and ask other lonely moms you meet at parks to join. You'll be amazed how quick it will take off and how great a play group can be!