💕 Our BMFFs (Best Mom Friends Forever) and Why It Takes a Village

👭 A Move, A Realization 

It wasn’t until I moved across the county—away from everyone and everything I knew—that I realized how challenging it is without my tribe of friends. I often miss the days when the kids were bored on a weekend or summer day and we could run over to another mom friend’s house, where the kids would play outside or watch a movie while we got some much-needed mom time. 

While we understand that this helps our brains and bodies to be our best selves, there’s real science behind friendship: 

“Adult friendships—especially high-quality ones—significantly predict well-being and can protect against mental health issues such as depression and anxiety.” 
(Pezirkianidis et al., Frontiers in Psychology, 2023)  

💡 Life Gets Busy—But Friendship Still Matters 

Friendships often grow apart—especially once kids enter the picture. Busy lives, growing children, travel, work, and family obligations can cause us to lose touch. But it’s worth remembering: 

“Positive relationships outside of your household are crucial to your well-being and longevity.” 

Support networks are also protective factors against depression, loneliness, substance use, and other mental and physical health difficulties. (Christakis & Fowler, 2009, 2013)  

🌱 Relationships Evolve, and So Do We 

Even though our BMFFs might live far away now, they still show up in our lives—and in our kids’ lives. And we’ve also made room for new people in our circle. These relationships, both old and new, matter deeply. Friendship is a kind of magic. 
And while moving on is a natural part of growing up, how we nurture our relationships helps us grow—individually and together. 

📷 A Friendship Since Kindergarten 

One of my BMFFs has been in my life since kindergarten. We’ve: 

• Held each other’s babies 

• Traveled (with and without kids)

• Cooked meals and dropped off medication 

• Picked up each other’s kids 

• House-sat, celebrated, grieved, and cheered one another on 

That’s a village. 
And raising children without one? That’s near impossible. 

 🌸 Who Is Your BMFF? 

Your Best Mom Friend Forever might be: 

• The one who shows up with wine when you're overwhelmed 

• The one without kids who loves yours like her own 

• The one whose kids grew up with yours like siblings 

• The one at the park with snacks, Band-Aids, and joy for everyone 

• The one who offered to be your emergency contact when you were new in town 

• The one who rallies everyone to an event she may or may not have also planned 

🤝 A Chosen Family 

These people? They are our chosen family. 
They matter—sometimes even more than biological family—because we choose them. 

Let’s not take them for granted. We all need one. And so do our kids. 

📚 Want to Read More? 

Adult Friendship and Wellbeing: A Systematic Review with Practical Implications 
Pezirkianidis, C., Galanaki, E., Raftopoulou, G., Moraitou, D., & Stalikas, A. (2023). 
Frontiers in Psychology, 14, 1059057. 
🔗 Read the article