Family Friends

It's important for you, your partner, and your children to each have your own friends, but building friendships as a family is also beneficial.

"Being friends with other families honestly is the easiest group to be with," says Circle of Moms member Maria P., noting that there's never awkwardness about bringing kids along. These kinds of family friendships are what moms like Stephanie M. long to create. "I'm looking for friends where our spouses and kids can all hang out together," she shares.

So how do you go about building and cultivating friendships with other families you can relate to? To help, here are six ideas from Circle of Moms members for connecting with other families.

Keep reading.

Some new moms rush out and befriend fellow mothers once baby arrives, and other women just keep the same friends they've always had. Sure, it's comforting to chat about life with someone in a similar stage, but there's a big bonus in sticking with your single friends and keeping them close to your family. Here are some of the benefits:

1. When you tell the kids that their "Auntie" is coming over, they squish their faces against the window and line the front door like it's a red carpet!
2. She loves to give piggy back rides, partake in pillow fights, and doesn't mind marker tattoos.
3. She welcomes your tots with open arms because she isn't toting all kinds of baby baggage!
4. She loves to babysit or borrow your kids to test out her maternal skills without all of the responsibility.
5. Children reap the reward of having another adult (who isn't a parent) to talk to about issues.
6. She still has her train of thought intact and can lead you through a conversation no matter how many times it gets interrupted.
7. The novelty of changing diapers, repeatedly reading the same story, and tucking tots into bed hasn't worn off for her yet.
8. No matter what the occasion, her gift and presence are unrivaled.
9. You don't have to schedule hanging out around nap time, mood swings, or her meals.
10. You get to live vicariously through her when she fills you in on her latest date, a spontaneous trip, or pulling an all-nighter (that doesn't involve someone getting sick or having a nightmare).

Photo courtesy of New Line