Whatever season of motherhood you’re in, being a mom can often feel lonely. Whether you’re a new mom trying to figure out nursing and nap time or a momma in those busy middle years, driving carpool and juggling work, school, and the demands of home. Or maybe your kids are older now and the support network you had as a young mom seems to have evaporated.
Loneliness is often present in this season of life, so here are a few tips to help you out:
MAKE THE FIRST MOVE!
Text a mom in your life and set up a casual play date with the kids or a kid-free lunch if your children are older. Don’t just say, “we should get together soon!” even though I know we are all guilty of that. Text a specific date and get something on the calendar. Be okay if something comes up and they cancel – that happens a lot in this season – but keep on trying! Look around and see if there is anyone in your life that could use a friend – then see how you can be a friend to them. This helps take your focus off your loneliness and gets you thinking about someone else.
LOOK FOR A SINGLE MOMS' GROUP TO JOIN
Look for a single moms' group to join, and if you can’t find what you’re looking for, start your own group! There are so many options these days. Whether it’s a meet up at the park to walk with strollers, a monthly book club, or weekly Bible study. Consider starting one in your neighborhood or church.
PRAY & ASK GOD TO BRING YOU A FRIEND
Be specific. Ask God for a friend with kids your kids’ ages, or for a single mom friend or a friend who lives nearby. God delights to hear our prayers and He delights in giving us good gifts. Take heart mommas, this may be a lonely season, but your heavenly Father will never leave you alone.
CONNECT WITH OTHER SINGLE MOMS!
Find a single moms' support group at a church near you!
MEET THE AUTHOR
Karen Stubbs is an author, speaker, podcaster, and mother to four adult children. In 2011, she founded the ministry Birds on a Wire to equip mothers so they can parent with confidence.
When Karen was a young mom, her husband was often away from home serving as a fighter pilot during Operation Desert Storm. During those years, Karen grew in her reliance on God. Today, Karen is passionate about challenging moms to invite God into their journey of motherhood.
Birds on a Wire reaches tens of thousands of moms each month through their podcast, Wire Talk, which answers practical questions about the everyday difficulties moms face.
WHO WE ARE
The Life of a Single Mom is a national, faith-based, nonprofit that exists to see that no single mom walks alone. To date, the organization has worked with hundreds of churches to start a single mom’s support group in cities throughout the U.S. and beyond, as well as having served hundreds of thousands of single mothers with a variety of programs. Offering a large array of books, curriculum, training materials, online instructional videos, podcasts, newsletters, life skills education, and more, TLSM is one of the largest single mom organizations in the U.S. The robust selection of single mom programs focus on empowering single moms to grow spiritually, emotionally, financially, and parentally through Single Mom University, Single Moms Across America, the National TLSM Single Moms Conference, boot camps, and a variety of other programs. For more information, visit thelifeofasinglemom.com.
