Moms are thrown together often. Waiting in the school pickup line, chaperoning field trips, watching our kids on the soccer field, bringing kids to birthday parties, and hanging out at neighborhood parks. And sometimes people can take these little moments and turn them into beautiful friendships — but the rest of us struggle with bringing those polite conversations into authentic connections. That can leave parents — and especially moms — feeling very lonely. (Ask me how I know.) For moms looking to befriend other moms, a new TikTok trend might help.
Search #momfollowparty on the TikTok, and you’ll see thousands of videos using this sound originally made from TikToker Anna from Atlanta (@atlmamaknows). The sound features Anna asking moms to follow her, and she’ll follow back.
Then she gives these instructions: “Go to the comments, comment where you live and how many kids you have. Anybody that puts a heart next to your comment, you go in and follow them, and they’ll follow you back.” Simple right?
“Before you know it, you’ll have a bunch of cool, new mom friends,” she adds.
Even if you can’t make mom friends in real life, having a supportive network of virtual friends can make you feel so much less alone as you navigate the daily struggle of parenting. Chances are, you’ll find more people who want to connect as well.
According to an April 2024 study by the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, 66% of parents “felt the demands of parenthood sometimes or frequently feel isolating and lonely.” Additionally, 62% felt burned out by parenthood, 38% felt like they had no support as a parent, and 79% would value a way to connect with other parents outside of work and home.
And this loneliness can take a toll on our kids. A 2018 study of Japanese mothers of kids under 3 in BMC Women’s Healthfound that loneliness in moms was associated with a smaller social network, lower secure attachment style, and a higher possibility of psychological distress. Interestingly, loneliness decreased when the person’s network of personal relationships grew, both through traditional networks of family and friends and through virtual networks created through social networking sites. This means that joining a “mom follow party” may make you feel less alone.
Whether you struggle with making new friends as a mom or you’ve lost friends since becoming a mom, building a circle of new mom friends can help provide that connection you’re craving. There’s nothing like sharing tips, venting about issues, and laughing with other moms to turn your day around. You’ve got this, mama!
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