Friendships have always been super important to me, but they took on a whole new meaning when I became a mom. It’s wonderful to have someone to talk to about the ups and downs of life, to share stories with, and to just have a good laugh. Being a mom can make it difficult to keep up with old friends and to make new ones, but there are just a few things that have helped me to keep in touch.

How can a busy mom make time for friends?

Back when I was in college and before I was married, I felt like I had all the time in the world to spend with my friends. That changed dramatically when I became a mom of five, so I had to look at prioritizing my friendships like I do with other time management projects (you can see more about this in my previous time management video).  I really try to cherish my oldest, most solid friendships—you know, the friends that you’ve had forever—and I try to keep in touch with them at least once a month. It may not be a weekly phone call anymore, but these friendships are so near and dear to me that I try really, really hard to make an effort to stay in touch. I absolutely love these friends and they are a huge part of my life, so I try to plan a girl’s weekend once a year, or maybe once every two years. If planning a girl’s trip won’t work with your schedule, you can also do something as simple as a 5-minute phone call on the way to pick up your kids. Anything that shows that you value your friendship will mean a lot to your friend, and to you!

I also have a very solid, core group of friends who live near me. I try to see these friends at least once a month, maybe every two weeks for a quick bite to eat or a coffee. These friends are there when things just don’t seem to go right, and they’re also there for me and truly happy for me when things DO go right (and vice versa). When we all get together, we have a blast sharing stories and catching up, and I wouldn’t change my friendships with these women for the world.

When it comes to spending time with friends who are newer, this can be tricky because it can feel like you’re being pulled in a million different directions. My kids are involved in so many different classes and activities, so I get to meet so many other moms and they all seem so nice. It can be frustrating because I want to get to know all of them and talk to them, but by the time I get around to doing that, I’m being rushed to the next activity or class.

This is an issue that affects many of us parents, so how do you keep your friendships fresh? What kind of actions do you take to stay in touch with friends, both old and new? Share your thoughts in a comment below, and check out my video for more tips on how to manage spending time with new friends!