Mom Friends :: The Key to Surviving the Long Days of Summer

“Ahhh my kids too!”

“Oh my gosh, I thought I was the only one!”

“Stop; how did that even happen??”

“I cannot even with my husband right now either!”

OK, that last one was me, but the rest were all things my friends said one night at a thrown-together neighborhood party. Summer is long guys, lllooooonnnngggg. And I am waiting to be one of those moms who looks forward to it, counts down to it and posts idyllic photos of her kids playing and writes “Sweet Summertime Fun”. Currently, I am the mom who posts Instagram shots of her kids fighting with a countdown clock to school starting. 

Mom Friends:: The Key to Surviving the Long Days of Summer | Houston Moms Blog

And that is OK. There are tons of different types of moms, and I just happen to be one that dreads summer. Yes, I love the sleeping in {now that my kids are older}. And I am in a really great age range {7 and 9} where they can do most things on their own. BUT it is still ME as the main source of need/entertainment/food/hygiene. And it can be exhausting and lonely.

The way I am managing so gracefully, you ask? Mom friends. Guys, you don’t need 50, just a handful of moms who parent like you do, know you, and like you anyway. And as my Papa would say, the ones who you can call screaming “I AM ON MY WAY TO THROW MY KIDS AT YOUR HOUSE,” and they will unlock the door and usher your babies in before you truly lose your mind. SO much grace.

Mom Friends:: The Key to Surviving the Long Days of Summer | Houston Moms Blog

My go-to peeps are moms I met when my youngest was in Kindergarten. But I have mom friends who I met through my littlest {your littlest and another mom’s oldest = match made in heaven} and mom friends who don’t even know my kids. It is these women who I call when I need to check something my kid has done to confirm if it is normal {looking at you pantsless James} and moms who I call when I KNOW what my kid has done is not normal and I need some talking down.

Getting together in a group is even better. That night I mentioned above, we discussed all sorts of topics like camp driving {AKA why did I sign up for half day camps}, tips for surviving a vacation with your children, weird things our husbands did {guys, they are all the same}. In between, one of us was making hamburgers, another was pouring juice, someone else was yelling at a child to close the door, and so on. We laughed, we talked a friend down and left feeling revived and ready for the next summer day. 

Mom Friends:: The Key to Surviving the Long Days of Summer | Houston Moms Blog
Don’t have mom friends? Well you do here with Houston Moms Blog! We are all willing to talk you down, tell you that your kids {and you} are normal and send you virtual love. Join our Facebook Group if you have not. It is one other way we make a big city feel small.

Still want to connect? I personally recommend stalking a mom at a park near your house who has kids the same age as yours. How do you think I got my first mom friend? I spotted her and just asked her if she wanted to hang out. What is the worst she could say? No?

Small humans are telling me I ruining their lives for turning off the TV; I can handle a little mom rejection. GRACE.

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Kinsey
Kinsey is a native Texan originally from Denton, but left as soon as she could {no offense to Denton; other people should totally live there}. After graduating from the University of Texas with a degree in elementary education, she taught first grade for a hot minute. She quickly learned that her passion was actually telling adults what to do, and thus realized a career in marketing and event planning was a much better match. She married Alex in 2005, who legitimately thinks Houston is the best city in the world, which means she is here forever. She worked until 2013 when she retired (and refuses to say she is unemployed). Together they have two boys, Zachary {December 2008} and James {July 2011} which means she spends every afternoon, evening, Saturday, and many Sundays sitting at a field or court for whatever sport is being played at that particular moment and fending off snack requests. Also that she’s on a first name basis with the workers at Chick-fil-A. Hi Debra! Follow Kinsey on Instagram @makejokesnotmoney.

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