Question of the Day: How are you teaching your kids to make good, quality friends?
The sky was a perfect blue. It was an atypical warm winter day.
We’d been at the playground for less than 10 minutes.
I stood alone, watching and breathing deep as other parents stood in small circles clearly in a mom’s group. A few others stood alone themselves.
On their next turn around, my daughters were being chased. Smiles as big as rainbows beamed across their faces.
Giggles.
Hiding.
Running.
In the car, breathless, I hear these words.
“I was playing tag. I made a friend.”
This is how kids make friends with perfect strangers.
It is much harder for adults.
Even harder for some mothers, it seems.
I created The Abundant Mama Project and village to be that creative, supportive community that so many lack in real life– to give them what I know so many need.
They say that it takes a village to raise a child.
That’s not entirely true.
Many of us are doing it on our own, without a village, at least not in real life.
In fact, it takes a village to raise a mother.
A village that understands.
A village that offers unbridled support and love.
A village that’s been there — a few times!
A village that’s not afraid to look out for your best interest.
This week, I hope you gave thought to the concept of making connections. Either by reaching out to someone online or in real life. A connection is a connection as long as it’s from your heart.
I was inspired by this video below. Please watch it.
This kind of ball pit dating is what we do in the Abundant Mama village — except without the balls! We share our dreams. We share our goals. We share our worries.
And we’re all strangers — seeking connection.
Strangers running around, giggling and supporting each other like whoa.
Let’s stretch ourselves and make new connections and see where it takes us.
There’s only 24 hours left to join in on the next The Abundant Mama Project. We set sail on our journey on Monday.
Ugh, today’s question hit me hard. My daughter has some REALLY amazing friends she’s never met (they’re part of a circle we’re in online). Her in-person friends, though, are kind of a mixed bag. There are a couple in particular that I think really drag her down and discourage her, but they’re also the ones that are “around” the most. I have been really praying lately for her to develop that one local best friend, the type that hangs out at one house or the other nonstop, and yet I don’t think she’s unhappy… that’s more MY dream for her, and there’s part of me that just needs to relax and let her do what she needs to do!
Anyway. All that. From one question 🙂 I need a village to keep me in line, I swear.
I know, right? I can’t imagine a life without a best friend growing up …. my best friend and I — the one from high school — is still my best friend even though we hardly ever talk and haven’t seen each other in years!
That was a cool video! I smiled all the way through it. I had never really thought about how differently kids make friends vs adults. But definitely grossly different.
I found your site and this particular post through a Pinterest link up, that I almost didn’t click on….I’m so glad I did.
This post speaks right to the heart of where I am right now as a mama keeping things together while our family is flittering and floating about (long story, had to leave my home of 6 years after we found out our little girl has lead poisoning from the home. Staying with different family members, bouncing around 3 different states, trying to keep every day fun and magikal for our now16 month old)…. Just lost a 19 year friendship because my ex-friend “didn’t understand what we were doing and didn’t want to bother.”
The past 4 months have brought great tragedy, triumph, anxiety, and gratitude to me. And clearly the ability to ramble-write in comments on a blog. When I am financially able, I will enroll in the Abundant Mama course, because methinks I will be in need of a supportive village when we’ve finally found and moved into our healthy new hut 🙂
Thank you for creating this online space.
All in kindness,
Jessa
Much love to you right now and as you move into the amazing future you have ahead of you … thank you for the kind words. I can’t wait to meet you. Keep adding to your story.