Posted: 1/29/2014 | Relationships	Comments
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When a young married couple has children and parental responsibilities replacing the carefree social life they once knew, face-to-face time with friends can certainly fade. But our heart-to-heart connections with them don’t have to.

Coping with the changes in our lives that parenthood brings, not only means being present to and accepting our shifting priorities and increased focus on family, but valuing and making space (even in our incredibly busy and full lives) for some face-to-face time with friends we really care about. Those great friends that we feel we can be ourselves with. We may not be able to see them often or talk to them as often as we’d like. But grabbing a few minutes on the phone or in person with folks we know really listen and support us and we support them, is so very important for our emotional and mental well-being.

True friendship begins by not only taking time to talk with those people special to you but also by getting to know yourself and understanding your inner thoughts and feelings. The more you can be a good friend to yourself, the better friend you’ll be to others. And, as your time with friends becomes more limited, your self-knowledge will help you connect with them in a more heart-centered and meaningful way, both in person and online.

The Internet can be a wonderful tool for maintaining and even deepening your friendships, because it allows you to stay connected and present with events in each other’s lives. As busy as you are, through social media and email you can still share the joys, humor, and struggles of everyday life. You can support and inspire each other, have a good laugh or even a good cry together, and do it all in micro-bursts of time, squeezed in-between helping with homework and fixing dinner. So, when you are able to get together for a cup of coffee or a quick bite, rather than spend all your time catching up, you can spend it diving deeply into what is really going on. 

If you learn how to be a good friend and nurture your relationships as you navigate your 20’s and 30's, it will serve you well into your 40’s and 50's and beyond.

Here are a few quick tips you can use both online and off to help you cope when you feel stuck at home with the kids....

1) Learn to take a quick break when you can to go on Facebook and feel a moment of connection.
2) Find Facebook groups of moms, if you can, to get support for different kinds of problems that arise during your day.
3) Attend an in-person support group nearby to meet other parents in your situation.
4) Find a great time to call someone on the phone with your cup of tea.
5) Make play dates with mothers and kids you enjoy.

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