Making friends.

[Astrolady]

Certainly agree there on the "click" thing Fionas.

I think another part is also how well the husbands/partners and also kids click. I find it easier to maintain friendships when both families get along, so much harder when my DH thinks there DH is a 'DH" iykwim It helps to be able to organise family get togethers, especially with a lot of socialasion now restricted to evenings or weekends due to work.

This is my issue to Astrid. My friends partners, Andrew doesn't get along with. He isn't a very sociable person where as my friends partners are outgoing. Therefore we aren't invited to dinner or things like that (even though I am quite happy to go on my own) because of his lack of social skills.

[Epacris]

I think meeting new people and making friends is like exercise. The more you do it, the better you get at it, but it’s really hard when you’re first starting out, sometimes it hurts, most of the time it’s uncomfortable, but sometimes it is fabulous and completely invigorating.

I force myself to meet new people, I also force myself to exercise, because both things are good for me and make me feel better in the long-run. I make chit-chat, learn their name, ask lots of questions, smile, make eye contact, etc,etc,etc. I have plenty of opportunities to do this, I go to a mothers group which is run out of the hospital where DS2 was born, it’s constantly evolving and rotating, there are always new people there. I also go to meet-ups, BB, or other internet based groups. It’s is always nerve wracking (especially if you are the first one there) and often awkward and uncomfortable... but you gotta start somewhere and you never know where it’s going to take you.