Here’s to Best Friends!
Nothing tests a friendship like having kids right?
Between the endless feeding, changing, chasing and general ‘keeping them alive’ daily activities ….not to mention the overflowing laundry basket and constant cries of neglect from your vacuum, it can be a struggle to stay on top of friendships. Even your very nearest and dearest ones. The calls, the messages, the invitations, they all too often get buried in the beautiful chaos of family life.
Hands up if you feel, or have ever felt, like a terrible friend since having kids? Do you beat yourself up about it? Yep, us too. All the time. We’re pretty sure it’s part of the whole mom guilt thing we are all cursed with postpartum.
The truth is, it’s a tough juggling act. Sometimes the balls come crashing down.
We have all had those friends who backed off after birth, or took offence to the ‘M.I.A you’ post children. Those friendships fizzled out pretty quickly. You might also have those who complain at how ‘they never see you anymore’? Those who always expect you to travel with kids to them. Or those that harbor resentment when they see you popping up on Facebook on a playdate with your new ‘mommy friend’ or worse still….when you forget a birthday – thanks baby brain *face palm.*
And then there is pure gold. The ones that just get it. Your rocks. Your constants. Your saviours. Your BEST FRIENDS!
The ones who know that your silence isn’t selfish. That no contact doesn’t mean no love.
The ones that know that friendship is measured by much more than actual time spent together.
The ones who your kids see as family.
The ones who see through your smile and know when you need a shoulder to cry on.
The ones who will bring you over a fully cooked meal or simply watch the kids while you take a looooooong bath.
The ones who don’t make you feel boring when you are sitting in on a Friday night – of course they’ll join you and watch Coyote Ugly for the zillionth time!
This week, it’s National Best Friends Day (June 8th). So Mamas, let’s hear it for our best friends! They keep us strong. They keep us smiling. And they keep us sane. They show us what real friendship and sisterhood is all about and make us want to be a better friend.
We would be lost without them wouldn’t we? So amidst the chaos this week, just do your best to drop them a line to let them know how much you adore them. But if you forget, don’t worry, they’ll forgive you. Because they are THAT awesome!
