Making New Friends

“Let’s meet for a coffee!”

If I had a penny for every time I heard a Mum say that and never see it through…

Even before I had my own child, I often heard my friends tell me all about how they would often meet new mums, provisionally plan something, and never hear back! I found this behaviour fairly odd and never quite understood why someone would do that to another human being.

Raising a child is a lonely business, whether you’re a single parent or not. When someone shows the intention of becoming your potential friend and then disappears, it can only make you feel even more lonely.

I had the sad pleasure of experiencing this ‘let’s meet’ scenario.

I recently met a fellow new Mum and after a brief conversation, she asked me for my number so we could meet for a coffee. I agreed and gave her my number. Eloise is getting older now and I feel like I really need to start socialising, so I am trying my best to be less of an introvert. I was very pleased with my exchange with the fellow Mum and was looking forward to her message as she told me she would message me later that day to arrange a date and time. I let a couple of days pass by and when I didn’t hear anything, I dropped her a quick text to see if we could meet for coffee.

A week later, I got a reply. Explaining how she doesn’t use her phone much. It’s 2018 and you don’t use your phone much? Sure. I still give people the benefit of the doubt. Everyone is different and maybe she genuinely isn’t a phone-friendly person. I just don’t think I will be responding to her again. I am pretty straightforward and if someone isn’t interested in doing what they say they want to do, I respect that and move ahead.

Is this normal though? Is this what mums do to each other?  I’m sure I will meet like-minded people along the way.

Have you had this happen to you? What did you do? Or are you the person who usually intends to make friends but is unable to see it through due to an issue? anxiety perhaps? I’d love to hear what you think!