She WILL Be Your Friend...I Like Her Mom

Kid friendships are so easy. My 3-year-old meets a little girl at the park and in two minutes she's telling me all about her new bestest friend. She doesn't know the little girl's name, but she knows they are kindred spirits.

Moms don't work that way. I wish they did. I wish I could go to Wal-Mart and decide that the mom who looks just as tired as me was going to be my new friend. We could get mani-pedi's together and commiserate about potty training together.

But it's just not that easy. Moms - women in general, but especially moms - first have to measure each other up first. Does her hair look as bad as I think mine looks? Are her kids giving her a run for her money (as bad as mine are me)? What's in her buggy?
Next we have to test the waters - exchanging small talk. Weather, school, kids... Then you build into heavy stuff - ask about the husband. If you both roll your eyes or you both smile with a twinkle in your eyes, things are looking good.

So what does a mom do next? Exchange numbers and arrange a time to get out? No. We force our children to play together. The first encounter is usually somewhere safe like Chick-Fil-A or McDonald's. After that you can move on to more private meet-ups. And of course - this winds up being the ONE child your kid doesn't really like. But you make your kids play anyway...preferably in another room so that you and New Mom Friend can talk, all the while praying that your child doesn't bite the other child and you'll be asked to leave.


(PS - this is my best friend's daughter knocking down my daughter - they are best friends)

But just as you and New Mom Friend are laughing over something only a mom would find hilarious (like poop), your child comes running up to you to tell you all about her new best friend. And you can't help but scream a silent "YES!" in your head.


(The newest in Rodeo sports - Kid Wrangling)