As a busy work from home mom, I have a million excuses why I don’t have time to tend to my social life. While I do agree that it’s sometimes hard to make the time to get out, I also feel like it’s important to get out of the house and spend time not wearing your “mom hat” with other women who lift you up.
After all, I was someone kinda cool before I had my twins and they took over almost all of my waking hours at home. I have a lot to offer as a friend and there is never a time that is more important to have women friends than when you become a mom. Other moms are such a good resource for information and suggestions when life seems like a struggle.
I feel fortunate that I have a group of girlfriends who make it a point to meet up monthly, even among all the crazy things life throws at us. Sometimes we all can’t make it out, but as a general rule we try to get out and socialize in an attempt to keep our sanity. Not all of our nights out are traditional dinners or drinks. Those happen, but we have found a few other fun Moms’ Night Out options that do not require getting too dressed up or spending money out. Here are some of our favorite things to do:
Craft Night
It’s OK to not be crafty. I pride myself on being a Pinterest failure on almost all projects that I attempt. But when you have a group of friends, one of them is bound to be artsy or crafty. That person can help guide you on techniques when you get stuck. Some of the things we have made are birthday party decor or favors, Halloween costumes, kids’ spirit week clothing, tooth fairy supplies, or other holiday prepping.
The best part about craft night is that it doesn’t have to be expensive and you don’t have to have all the supplies. We all just each bring a bin of supplies we have on hand and the projects just happen. Nights like this show that women can accomplish anything when they put their minds to it.
Pool Night
Pool night is always a fun way to beat the summer heat. The thing about it is you do not have to have your own pool. If you have access to a community pool, city pool, apartment complex pool, or a family member’s house, you have all the supplies you need for pool night. We each bring a snack or a drink and maybe a big unicorn float. It is the perfect mix for instant fun.
Don’t forget to bring a towel and bug spray.
Book Club
Book Club is always fun. I’ve been part of morning book clubs that combine fun brunch options with mimosas and coffee or evening meetups with snacks and drinks. I have to be honest, I don’t always read the books. I try, but as a busy mom I just can’t finish books each month or so. I still go and have so much fun listening to the debates and topics while enjoying my snacks.
Dinner and Drinks
We love our dinners out. Sometimes we do something basic and casual like patio tacos, and other times we dress up and splurge on a fun night at a fancier, trendy restaurant. Our goal is to find the best happy hours and weekday specials and then choose a venue based off those options. The best thing about dinner and drinks out is every one can trickle in as their schedule allows and enjoy the evening.
Movie Night
Moms love to get together and watch crazy movies that our spouses will never like. I have been to girls night at the movies for big things like Sex in the City, Magic Mike, and Bad Moms. Part of the deal is my husband gets to tease me over my love of Joe Manganiello dancing to Nine Inch Nails. But my mom friends *get* it and love watching all the Bad Mom shenanigans, secretly dreaming we can be that bad one day.
Places that combine dinner, drinks and a movie like Studio Movie Grill or Alamo Drafthouse are always a good way to squeeze a lot of fun into a limited schedule.
Arcade Night
With places like Pin Stack or Free Play, moms can combine games and cocktails pretty easily. We have gone out for just games or engaged in some friendly laser tag fire. No matter the location, these fun nights are an easy way to cut loose. Most of these places are open during the day, as well, so even if a Saturday or Sunday afternoon is the only time you have childcare, you are in luck!
Hobby Night
Learning a new hobby is so much fun. We have gotten cooking lessons in our homes, dance classes, baked for upcoming parties, and signed up for workouts together. Discount sites like Groupon have fun and affordable options for everyone. At the end of July, I am looking forward to goat yoga at Nash Farms because why not? I can make goat yoga look good with my friends at my side.
Wine Night (or Day)
I saved the best for last. Wine night is one of my favorite nights. From events like Downtown Wine Walks in cities like Plano to official Wine Tours in Grapevine, we have tried it all. Some friends have even hosted a wine tasting in their home which is a fun night in.
It’s great to try samples of a variety of things while having good conversations with other women. I believe that wine night for moms truly helps keep safe ride services in business. We love to have fun, but we always Lyft or Uber home. You know you have a great bunch of friends when we are all texting late night to be sure everyone is home safely.
From one busy mom to another, stop making excuses as to why you can’t get in some socializing. Get out and do it. Find your mom tribe or a few neighbor friends and make plans to get together. Then follow through on it. There will always be sick kids, busy work schedules and all the other things life can throw at you. I promise once you are out you will love being with other wonderful women, and if you are really lucky, you will find those girls who will always have your back.
If you think you have trouble making friends, strike up a conversation with a mom at a park or attend a more formal event like a Mommy Speed Dating night. I recently attended a Collin County Moms Blog Mommy Speed Dating event at Tupps Brewery. Guess what! I made a new friend!
