While I have not always been great at keeping up with the blog...I have 4 posts in 4 years...I have been doing a lot of thinking and searching the last few weeks and have decided to put some thoughts down and start using the blog for that.
As the kids are getting older and participating in more activities and forming new friendships I am struggling. I have a hard time with the fact that it seems no one ever wants them to come over and play. Is it because I work all the time and don't really have time to reciprocate? Is it because we don't make the first offer? I feel like my kids are missing out on being able to form these relationships outside of their activities. I feel it is important for them to have friends away from school and sports. Or am I just reflecting on my childhood when we played with people almost every day...maybe its not the same way anymore as much as things have changed since I was a kid. Regardless, I am going to make a better effort to leave work early once in a while and have them invite people over.
While on the topic of friends...why is it that it is so hard as a single mom to make friends? Now, I know that I am not what society would consider the typical single mother. I work at a place where I wear polo shirts and cargo pants, I coach sports and I do what I have to to support my kids. No, I don't like to get all dolled up and my go to outfit is jeans and a t-shirt. However, this does not mean that I don't enjoy the company of other adults. Just because I don't have a "better half" does not mean that I would not enjoy spending time with the parents of kids that my kids are friends with or any adults for that matter. I try to make that bond with the parents and then it seems that when it comes to adult time no one ever seems to think about me. I may not be the host type to invite people over and I get that it is usually a two way street. Again, it could be me and I could be missing something, but I feel that most of it has to do with the fact that I am a single mother. Or, it could just be that people just don't want to hang out with me. Who knows. I have my kids and we will just continue to do what we do and make our memories ourselves.
Kristy ~ I have lots of experience of being a "single mom" - it's TOUGH! There were several times that I felt exactly the same way. Many of my adult friends were the parent(s) of my girls. Whether it was from school, church or the extra curricular activities that they participated in...there really wasn't a lot of 'adult' only outings - when I did have kid-free time, I usually spent that time cleaning and running errands that way, when I had the girls, we had "FUN" and of course there was homework to do. Trust me, you are not missing out on anything by not having lots of 'adult' only friends, your children are young, so enjoy this 'chapter' in your life, in just a blink of an eye, they will be living their own lives and an EMPTY NEST is challenging in other ways....I am happily married now, by the grace of GOD! Hang in there and when you and the kiddos get a chance, please come to visit us in Tallahassee. Love you all, Cousin Valerie
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