Connect to your neighborhood with these tips for crafting your own mom community!
About a year ago, I would sit in my front yard with my kids and notice mothers taking their babies or young children on a walk. I figured if they were walking their baby, they must live close by. After noticing a few different ones, I realized there were a lot of mothers around me that I did not know. There was this entire community right around me, in my own neighborhood. But the question was … how do we all meet?!
I decided I would host a happy hour in my backyard for the women in my neighborhood. Very casual, BYOB, a few snacks, and for a two-hour window of time on a weekday evening. I first formed a Facebook group for the women in my neighborhood and I invited the few neighbors I knew to join the group. I told them that if they knew neighbors around them, to invite them to the group. The group started with just a few, and then grew to a few more as others invited their neighbors. I posted the happy hour date, and just about every single person showed up. We all went around and introduced ourselves. That night, connections were made and friendships were formed. The group has since grown and more events and get togethers have taken place.
When I share this process with other moms, I point out that this is not just something I could do in my neighborhood. This can be done in any neighborhood! Even if you just know a few moms around you, there are likely more you just haven’t met yet.
Here are the three steps I took to form a community of moms in my own neighborhood:
- Decide the method to share information to get together. I started a private Facebook group because most have a Facebook account, but you could also do a group text or email chain. You just need at least one other neighbor’s contact and they will likely have the contact for another neighbor, and so on. And as you get new neighbors who move in, add them to the group!
- Set a date for an initial meet-up. Our first meet-up was a kid-free happy hour in my backyard. Once everyone arrives, take a minute to go around and introduce yourselves. This was my favorite part, and it helped get to know everyone who came and make connections with them. I found it super helpful because for a lot of the women, it was their first time meeting each other!
- After your initial get-together, plan other things from there! A monthly or quarterly happy hour, go on a walk together, meet for coffee, meet at a park with your kids, go out to dinner … you can do anything you want!
When I stepped outside my comfort zone and opened my back gate and welcomed neighbors in, it filled all of our cups in so many ways. A lot of us were in similar stages of life. It has also made me feel more connected to my community! And I know others in the group feel the same. I hope this inspires you to form your own mom community in your neighborhood!
