Building a community of mom friends is essential to overcoming a sense of isolation as well as the negative impact of technology, over-efficient living, and the choices that can root us in chronic loneliness. Social media is no substitute for face-to-face conversations.

Mothers are used to giving to their kids, their spouses and their community but they are not getting their own needs met or recognized, and they need a release valve. That's where friendships come in. COVID has maxed out coping skills, including social skills that are not as strong as they were pre-COVID and while social media can be a great tool for finding a community, it does not fulfill the need for real conversations.

Suggestions for Making Mom Friends

In this interview author Heather Dugan suggests that moms, "Create space to grow a friendship rather than fit it into left over space."

Other suggestions include:

• Schedule time for a friend and put it on the calendar
• Don't do negative self-talk
• Volunteer to grow your network.