Playdates

It's like the first day of school all over again — only this time, you're an adult looking for a new friend. Even if mama has a gaggle of friends before giving birth, chances are she'll seek out other moms with tots once she enters motherhood. Spending time with moms who are experiencing the same baby milestones and setbacks makes the journey easier but requires some effort. I've rounded up some of my favorite ways to meet fellow moms.

• New mom exercise groups: Group exercise programs like Stroller Strides and boot camps help burn the weight and gather women in a central location.
• Pediatrician's office: Check the bulletin board in your doctor's office for new-mom playgroups. If there aren't any, post something yourself.
• Hospital birth clubs: You know that mom giving birth in the room next door to you? Her tot is the exact same age as yours. Many hospitals help coordinate "birth clubs," which bring new mamas and their tots together for parenting workshops and breastfeeding support.
• Playground visits: Your tot may not be old enough for the monkey bars yet, but a walk around the playground with your newborn may make you a magnet for other moms looking for some fresh air and friendship.
• Gym babysitting area: Mamas who turn to their gym's babysitting services while sweating away their weight already have something in common. Coordinate your babysitting/workout schedules and watch your friendship blossom.
• Mommy and me classes: Yes, baby yoga and newborn music classes are meant to stimulate your lil one, but they're also prime opportunities to befriend other new mamas who are feeling their way around the class.

How did you meet other mothers?

Mommy Dearest –

Yesterday, while toiling away at work, I received a phone call from my son's nanny. It seems the friend he was playing with had been promised a lunch at McDonald's and had invited my kindergartner along. I try to avoid fast food restaurants at all costs, so our nanny called to ask if it was OK to go for lunch with the friend. In the background I could already hear my son discussing the cartoon characters he saw on the restaurant's windows and rather than subject his caretaker to a meltdown, I acquiesced.

I am not some food-crazed mom (I give my children plenty of chicken fingers at home, albeit not fried), but I really don't like my children eating all of that fried food and thinking that food comes with toys. Would it be inappropriate for me to ask his playmate's mom to not promise such "treats" on days our kids play together?

– McDonaldless Mommy

To see the response from Mommy Dearest, read more

Playdate is a fancy way of saying a child is going to hang out with a friend. Some moms carefully plan activities, and others just go with the flow. What's your tip for keeping the peace when kids get together?

Imagine a baby's first sentence including words like "reduce, reuse, and recycle." As we raise a new generation of eco-conscious citizens, it might not be too far-fetched an idea. With playrooms stocked with eco-friendly wooden toys, nursery closets filled with organic cotton clothing, and freezers stocked with homemade, all natural organic purees, our lil ones are learning about their impact on the earth from the moment they enter the world.

So, it's no surprise that the green movement is now invading tot's playdates. Companies like the NYC-based Unplugged on a Rug host eco-guided play sessions that feature toys, songs, and activities designed to teach even the youngest kids about the importance of living a green lifestyle. Using recycled toys such as yogurt containers and cardboard boxes, age-appropriate storybooks, and cute songs about eco-conscious living, the playdates aim to educate through play.

Would you seek out a green-oriented playdate for your baby?

Mommy Dearest,

I am entering new territory and could use some advice. My preschool son is starting to make new friends of his own from his classroom. A few of his little buddies have asked him to come over for a playdate, which is exciting and scary at the same time. Thrilled that he is advancing socially, I am nervous to let him go over to a friend's house where I don't know the parents at all. I could care less about snacks or sugary drinks but I wonder what the mom's disciplinary style may be or how she deals with her children. Heaven forbid she's a closet drinker like that woman who drove drunk and killed all of those innocent children. I don't want to be a helicopter parent but I don't want to regret anything, either.

— Scared to Be Helicopter Mom

To see the response from Mommy Dearest, just read more