Family * Travel * Food

5 Places to Meet New Mom Friends in New York City

New York City is one of the most popular places on earth. The hustle and bustle of the Big Apple never stops. Traffic rages, pedestrians travel, and the city lights burn right through the night. Raising a baby in New York City is no easy feat, doing it requires a support group.
Photo by Ralph Chang from Pexels 
Many new people that have relocated to New York City fond it challenging to meet new friends, so finding your new mom squad may be tough. However, if you know your way around and where to go, then there are plenty of places you can visit that will present you with the opportunity to make new mom friends. Here are five ways you can meet new friends in the world’s most famous city.

#1 Parks and Playgrounds
Bridge Park Pier 6 in Brooklyn, Union Square Playground, Bleecker Playground in Manhattan, and Hudson River Park Pier 25 are great places to meet new moms. Remember to keep your eyes on your child at all times but when they are digging in the sandbox or playing on a swing set, take the opportunity to strike up a conversation with a mom nearby. Some of the most fabulous friendships are made in the playground.

image credit
#2 Online Mom Chatrooms
Social media has connected us in a way that gives us instant access to social groups at the click of a mouse. Join up with some local New York City mom’s groups. Astoria parents, UES Mommas, and Madison Square Park Moms are all fantastic Facebook groups filled with hundreds of friendly moms that are always willing to help out. As you get to know people, you will discover moms that live nearby, and you can arrange to meet for coffee and discuss a playdate for your kids.

#3 New Mom Support Groups
There are many pre-birth classes available across the city. Signing up for a course will expose you to new moms that are thrilled to be experiencing the miracle of childbirth as much as you are. You will all have something in common already, and if you make a friend your kids could end up growing up together as best buddies. Check out your local listings online or visit the nearest YMCA for a class schedule.

image credit
#4 Get Social at Playgroups
Getting your kids into playgroups as early as possible will have tremendous benefit for their social development. Children love to watch and learn, so if you get involved at the playgroup chatting with other parents, you are laying the foundation for your child’s personality to be open and friendly.

#5 Make Friends at the Pediatrician’s office
If you’re waiting at the pediatrician’s office for your child’s latest checkup, start a conversation with the moms sitting around you. Before you open your conversation, ensure you read the body language and facial expressions of the parents sitting around you. This brief assessment will give you a good idea of their emotional state; not everyone is at the pediatrician's office with good news.

The Final Tip
It’s important to get out with your child, so if you are struggling to meet your household obligations and spend quality time with your kid, consider hiring a cleaning service to assist you with the housework. Cleaning services are experts at cleaning good for health purposes, giving you more free time to spend with your kids.
 photo 7636c3fb-e8d9-4b07-af6b-f1ca33a15bfe_zps9lbkp4mn.png
SHARE:

Mom Files Is 10 Years Old

I seriously can't believe that 10 years ago, my husband bought the domain, momfiles.com. He is actually the one who believed that it was going to become something very special. He pushed encouraged me to start this blog although I really didn't want to. No lie, I did not believe him. Who would bother to read my blog? Where would I even find readers? I decided to humor him and figured I'd try this whole blog thing and see what happens. This came with very little expectation of any kind. I was simply doing it as a online journal and a place to connect with like-minded people.


Fast forward ten years... I had no idea that blogging would bring so much added value to my life, and I'm not talking about income. It has connected me with so many great people all over the country. Crafters, home cooks, interior designers, tech specialists, artists, writers, and regular every day folks. I have bonded and become really good friends with some truly amazing people. Some communicate with me regularly via text, phone, and social media. If I'm going through something and need someone to talk to, I'm covered. I really needed that. I think being a stay-at-home mom for so long makes me feel lonely sometimes. My blog friends seem to fill that void and I don't even have to leave home (score!).

I have really enjoyed engaging with my readers and it brings me joy when I get the occasional comment from those I started out with. I hear a lot of other bloggers ask the question, "Does anyone actually read blogs anymore?" I say, yes! It makes me so happy when someone tells me that they searched my blog for a particular recipe or they bought something based off of a past review I did. I appreciate the trust that is shown.

One of the greatest things about this blog is the fact that I have 10 years of family memories. I've shared so many milestones, experiences, funny videos (remember Vent Day?), heartfelt thoughts, reviews, birthdays, disappointments, and even some very random things. I have always felt like you all celebrated with us, cheered for us, cried for us, or just simply listened.

I truly appreciate all of my readers and social media connections. You are the reason I'm still here. I go through my times of wanting to scrap everything and shut down shop. Then someone will message me and tell me they loved something I posted recently that really helped them at the time they needed it most. I'm always very happy to help anyone that I can.

I want to say, thank you! Thank you all for connecting with me. I genuinely feel like some of the best people I've ever known are those I've never even met in real life.


Thanks for reading!
xoxo
SHARE:

Celebrating Your Girlfriends on Gal-entine’s Day

Haven’t heard of Gal-entine’s Day, yet? It’s high time you started observing this wonderful celebration of female friendship. Originally coined by Amy Poehler’s character Leslie Knope on the hit NBC show “Parks and Recreation”, this occasion is celebrated on February 13th, the day before Valentine’s Day. It’s meant to commemorate the beautiful bond and love between best friends, and if you’ve got a great crew of gals you adore, you need to celebrate your friendships and give a nod to the many different but just as wonderful types of love in your life.

Gifting isn’t Just for Lovers
Give your best gal pals a token of your appreciation for their friendship with some sweet and sentimental presents this Gal-entine’s Day. Skip the stale presents and make your besties feel like queens with some heartfelt presents you know they’ll adore. Whether it’s friendship bracelets (those aren’t just for preteens you know!) or tickets to a show you know all of you will enjoy, sweet little presents will definitely have your besties feeling the love.

A Fun Project
Want to keep busy while you’re hanging out? Provide all the supplies for a fun DIY project. Whether it’s making a dream board of all the hopes and wishes you all have for the future using pictures and terms cut out of a magazine, or a wonderfully scented homemade shower scrub, you’ll laugh over your arts and crafts project and leave the evening with a fun memento of the fun times you had that evening.

Paint ’N Wine Night
If you haven’t done a paint and wine night yet, you’re missing out. There are tons of companies in every big city that offer evenings where you and your girlfriends can get firsthand instruction from an artist and create a copycat painting masterpiece, all while sipping on alcoholic beverages and eating yummy appetizers. You’ll all go home at the end of the night with a new painting to hang on your wall, and every time you see it hanging on your wall in the future you’ll smile and think of the amazing women in your life.

Karaoke Night
What better way to spend an evening celebrating love than singing your heart out to some ballads with your besties? Head to a local karaoke bar and pick your favorite jams, sing some duets, and rock out to girl groups for a celebration that will have you losing your voice (all in good fun, of course!)

Television Binging
What is a night in front of the television without some delicious snacks? Order in food and have it delivered from a company like DoorDash, or do it smorgasbord style with a yummy charcuterie and cheese board, mini sliders, and chocolate berries from a company like Shari’s Berries. Celebrate women by picking movies with female leads: think Katniss from “Hunger Games” or the funny, singing gals from “Pitch Perfect”.

For Far Away Besties
If your best friend lives far away but you still want to let her know you’re thinking of her, send a fun card that will provide a happy surprise come February 13th  when she checks her mailbox. Plan a Skype date to catch up and get all the details on any Valentine’s plans you two might be celebrating with the lucky fellas in your lives.

A Girl’s Trip
If you and your friends are all single for the Valentine’s holiday, then you’ve got the entire weekend to work with for your Gal-entine’s celebrations (no wallowing about not being a relationship necessary, ladies). Go out on a sweet getaway weekend that will have you all feeling rejuvenated come the following Monday. What about a wine tasting weekend with a side of luxury spa treatments? Or perhaps you’ll head out on a ski weekend to make the most of the snow still clinging to the ground as winter winds its way down. Whatever it is that you like to do, plan a last-minute trip and celebrate with the girls who know you best.

Romantic relationships can come and go, but your best friends are always there for you, so make sure you celebrate all the types of love in your life this February.
SHARE:
Blogger Template Created For Mom Files All Rights Reserved