10 Ways My Mom Friendships Are Keeping Me Sane During the Pandemic

I don’t know about you, but there’s literally nowhere to hide in my house. Privacy Does.Not.Exist. Since the pandemic started, I’ve sought both silent refuge in my car in the garage, and even better, I’ve organized all-out cocktail parties in my car with the ladies via the Houseparty app — where eight people can join a video chat room to connect with friends. Beyond the face time, you can up the ante by playing online games like trivia and quick draw together. My SUV crossover has officially become a party bus, and I don’t even need a designated driver. You can also swap cocktails with coffee, tea, or hot cocoa too.

My best friend, who knows all my business, tags me on hilarious memes, sends me inspirational quotes to guide me through my latest family drama, DMs me easy recipes for my vegan diet, alerts me to posts she’ll know I appreciate, and sprinkles in some gorgeous pics of plants, succulents, interior design, cute dogs, and perhaps a pic of Ryan Gosling staring into my soul.

I feel like she should be on payroll for the endless array of relevant content she tailors and sends just for me. I do the same for her — and it’s so comforting knowing that we’re in each other’s thoughts even when we can’t hang out or chat. I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve laughed out loud or smiled at something she tagged me on, and her thoughtfulness is such a beautiful part of my day.

I didn’t know telescoping s’mores skewers existed before the pandemic, but now they really light my fire. One of my dearest gal pals lit a fire pit in her driveway, set up a socially distanced circle of chairs around the fire, and handed out these handy skewers that extend all the way from your chair to the fire to make s’mores. How sweet it was to gather round a fire, socially distanced with dear friends in person to tell your life’s latest stories. There’s something ancestral and cleansing in the experience of storytelling by fire and bonding under the night sky. It’s sure to fill your spirit.

Since my friends and I rarely get a chance to talk on the phone without kids interrupting every other sentence, we seek solace in text chains as a perpetual line of communication. We can pop on anytime to send inside jokes and funny GIFS, and for a quick check-in to make sure all is well.

A quaint viewing of Bridgerton with a spot of tea? Don’t mind if I do! My friends and I don’t have time to binge-watch an entire season in one sitting, but we make evening or late-night plans to watch shows together, one episode at a time. Teleparty is a great platform for this. You can download it for free and then watch shows in synchronization with your friends online.

OK, so they’re not your mom “friends” IRL per se, but several of the moms getting me through the pandemic are doing so via Instagram. This village of moms includes Dr. Becky Kennedy. Funnily enough, Blake Lively shares my opinion since she just shared in her Instagram stories: “@drbeckyathome is my parental ride or die. If you don’t follow her yet… you’re welcome. You will never be the same again.” Dr. Becky offers tons of expert parenting advice and “practical strategies” for navigating kids and home life. There’s literally a mom guru on Instagram for every topic. Find the moms who speak to your heart and follow them.

There’s no better time to learn how to bake those cinnamon roll sugar cookies you’re convinced only your mom can make, or to whip up a batch of the jumbo stuffed shells she cooks to perfection. I set up video calls and work side by side with my mom in the kitchen, so I can learn her secrets firsthand and she can pass down her best family recipes to me for all of posterity.

Eventbrite offers so many free and paid events to choose from, so I often reach out to friends who share the same interest in everything from self-improvement workshops and yoga and meditation to music lessons and gardening, and we sign up for these events together.

Walking and talking with a trusted friend is truly priceless. If you can meet up even once a week to get some exercise and share your joys and frustrations together, you can still connect from a safe distance. My greatest confidante and I take turns spilling the details of our lives to each other and suggesting ways through rough spots or sharing the happiness of each other’s triumphs. It’s instant therapy to speak your truth with a trusted friend, and you get some exercise and fresh air at the same time.

Music is salve for my soul, and I really miss going to concerts. While I wonder when I’ll ever be at a concert again, belting out tunes at the top of my lungs in a packed stadium, for now my friends and I create and share playlists with each other on Pandora. I always have access to new music in the palm of my hand. My best friend just sent me Angelina Jordan’s new song “Million Miles” and I wept cathartic tears.

Due to the stay-at-home orders of the pandemic, now every parent on the planet knows the loneliness and isolation that can coincide with being a stay-at-home/work-from-home parent. I hope these friendship bonding ideas bring you comfort, laughter, and camaraderie during a time when we truly need it the most.