We Savvy Sassy Moms are pulled in a million different directions at any given time. We have many commitments inside as well as outside of the home. We have to get the kids to school, conduct those presentations at work and get that grocery list handled after work. Then there’s keeping track of the bill paying, toilet scrubbing, cat feeding and laundry duty for an entire household. Add in weekly extra curricular activities for the kids to that already full plate and we find our day is over before we know it. With all that we barely have time for a date night with our significant other let alone the other important people in our lives.
So how on earth do we make time to nurture our friendships?
Well, there is no easy answer. But in my opinion – spending time with friends is a priority in life. Friendships provide us with support and remind us that we are more than our life as a Mom. So in addition to date night with the hubby, I like to have friend dates. Sure, they are fewer and farther between than my date nights with hubby and that makes sense but, girlfriends are sometimes the key to sanity for this Mama. With that in mind, how do you squeeze in that time? Below you will find twelve friend date options to consider making time for. You will find options from the quick one hour dates to the weekend girlfriend getaway. Choose what works for you.
Power Hour with the Ladies Limited time? No problem! Make it a priority to squeeze in an hour of girl time throughout the week or once a month if you’re really bogged down by family and work commitments. Here are some ideas to make that happen:
- Meet up for a coffee in between the stop at the cleaners and the grocery store.
- Grab a sandwich at the Deli after you drop all those packages off at the post office.
- Hit up the local smoothie shop for a quick chat post gym workout.
- Put your hubby on duty after bedtime and head to the local wine bar for a glass of Cab with the girls.
Girlfriends Night Out or In! Set a regular once a month “date night” for you and your girlfriends. As a group, decide what you’d like to do. Consider the following:
- Pick a different spot each month to try a new delish restaurant.
- Keep it simple, throw on jeans and tees, order burgers and hit up the Bowling alley for a little light competition.
- Invite your girlfriends over for Tapas on Friday night after the weekly responsibilities are at a close.
- Organize a wine tasting at home or at a local wine bar. Chatting and cocktails, yes please!
- Schedule and commit to a monthly Pokeno or Bunco game night – if that is the only time you get girl time, it’s better than none at all.
Annual Girls Trips Once a year I like to take a trip with girlfriends. There are some years where it doesn’t happen, like when I had my twins, but most years, I have it on the radar and I try in vain to come up with a plan. It’s a time once a year, just for you and your girlfriends. It’s a much needed reprieve from all of our family and work commitments.
- Head to New York City for Broadway shows, dinners and a little night life. Take the Sex and the City Tour and pose on “Carrie’s” brownstone stoop for a picture. Head to a few of the stellar museums before you glam it up for dinner. The Big Apple is a great way to unwind and enjoy girl time.
- Vegas Baby! There are so many options for a fabulous girls weekend right in Vegas and it’s a great place to meet if you have friends on both coasts. If you like to trying your luck – hit up the slots and black jack tables. Want to get get your groove on? Head to the many, many, many dance spots. Research and find some fabulous dining locations within the beautiful casinos. Speaking of casinos, they are a sight to see. You can go to Vegas multiple times and still not see and do all that there is to do there.
- Set sail on a long weekend cruise to the Caribbean or the Bahamas. It’s a one-stop shop for fun. Limited planning is needed since your dining and entertainment is all in one location. Relax around the pool, enjoy excursions on your stops and girl talk over cocktails in one of the cruise ship lounges.
Making time for friends can easily go by the wayside. It takes a conscious effort to make it happen. Every time I make it a point to get out and enjoy some fun with friends I feel rejuvenated and I feel more balanced. I have no doubt if you take one of these options and make it happen for you and your friends, then you will too.
Comments
Making time for friends is vital to my sanity. It’s rare that I can get kid-free time, thanks to medical disorders & fellow navy moms with husbands on different schedules than mine. However, it’s still such a relief to meet for brunch or at a local kid-friendly museum to chat & just do something different on a regular basis. It would be very easy to become a hermit but that’s not healthy for me or Klaw.
Great post!