I spent a good 30 minutes on the phone this morning with my best friend Achlee, laughing, catching up, kvetching, and it was, well…exactly what I needed. I’ve said this before, but it seems between the joys (as Dr. Kate Naumes so beautifully put it) of life with kiddos, careers, and all the other sundry items on the to do list, the thing that suffers most is time to cultivate friendships. I need more girl time. Bad. Thankfully this week Dr. Naumes is giving us some strategies for making that happen.
I’ll let her take it from here.
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By Dr. Kate Naumes, ND
At the end of last year I wrote about the health benefits that friendships and a rich social life confer. This week I want to brainstorm how to cultivate female friendships amidst our full lives. Now, I love my husband, but as evolved as he may often show himself to be, there are some needs he is simply never going to fulfill (among them, stylist, professional back-rubber, and home-organizer). Since the joys of parenthood and running a household don’t always allow for ample girl time, I think it’s necessary to get creative and intentional to make sure it happens!
Here are a few ideas to get you started:
- Invite your girlfriends (or mom crushes) to your new “Mom’s Book Club.” Hey, you may need to create one; luckily it’s easy enough with Facebook. Don’t worry if you can’t imagine finding the time to read; the book is only an excuse for getting together! (There’s a very good chance half the ladies won’t even get around to reading either.)
- Find an exercise buddy. Exercise is all about routine and accountability. Having a recurring appointment a few times a week to get together and walk the Katy Trail (or the hills in your neighborhood) will do wonders for your health and social life.
- Send your child to a school or after school program catering to like-minded parents. These people are the ones with whom you will be spending a lot of time with and you don’t even need to put a date on the calendar to see them frequently.
My hope in writing this is that, even if none of the above ideas work for you, just reading them will spur your own creativity towards coming up with a workable regular, recurring activity for you to maintain and build deep bonds with your gal-pals.
Dr. Kate Naumes, ND runs a Holistic Wellness practice in Highland Park. She provides pre-conception and fertility counseling, newborn and pediatric wellness education, as well as ongoing well-woman support. Learn more at naumesnd.com.
