How to Make Mommy Friends and Meet Other Parents in NYC

Bowery Babes
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It's almost Mother's Day, time to celebrate motherhood. And what better way to celebrate being a mom than to get together with other moms and support each other. Let's face it, when you are a new parent New York can be like a sea of humanity: people, people everywhere, but not a soul to commiserate with. Finding the right parenting group can give you an instant social network to share the trials and tribulations of parenthood. Some mothers groups plan events and get-togethers, some offer seminars and discussions on pertinent topics, and some are just a place to chat on-line. Here are some of the best NYC parenting groups for moms and dads of every stripe.

Big City Moms is one of the biggest mom groups in NYC. They host lots of different fun and informative events, lunches, dinners and seminars for moms, families and moms to be including mompreneur dinners, mommy and me work-outs, preschool seminars and more all with the hidden agenda of just getting you out there having fun and making friends with other moms.

Divalysscious Moms is the group that lets you keep feeling glamourous even though you may be covered in spit up half the time. This predominantly Upper East Side group hosts enough swank events [all over NYC] to keep your calendar just as full post baby as pre and will give you plenty of reason to get out of your sweats and go out and make some new mommy friends.

Hudson River Park Mothers Group organizes free play groups, as well as educational and social events for mothers, children, and families residing in Lower Manhattan. the group members have online forums as well and offer a supportive environment and advocacy for local parenting issues. Similar groups centered around other neighborhoods include West Village Parents and the Lower East Side Parents group.

Meetup.com is a national site that hosts every kind of meetup group. You can search by kind of group you are looking for and location. There are lots of New York area parenting groups listed including nursing mommies, stay-at-home moms, single mothers, and MILFs, and if you can't find the group you're interested in you can start it.

Bowery Babes, mostly Lower East Side and Soho moms, have parties and potluck picnics in local parks and restaurants, two art classes at the Lafayette Street Childrens museum, excursions to museums and galleries, music classes held in several private loft homes, as well as lectures on sleep and the environment, and occasional Mommy Beauty Mornings at Bloomingdales Soho. The website contains passionate discussion about "alternative" lifestyle ideas as well as green products.

Park Slope Parents is an incredible group of local parents dedicated to supporting the families of Park Slope, Brooklyn by providing a way to exchange information about parenting in the Park Slope community with a yahoo group, events and a website. This group is predominantly an online email group, but they also have some events like their concert series. Park Slope Parents also has a great classifieds group where neighbors can buy, sell or swap just about anything.

Parents of NY Teens. New parents aren't the only ones who need guidance and support. As your kids get bigger, so do their issues. That's why the people who bring you Park Slope Parents also run a group for parents of teens. There are currently over 150 members and recent discussions included summer programs for teens, shaving and teen depression. The board is open to all parents - citywide - with kids 12 - 20 years....To join - just send an email to parentsofnyteens-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

The Bronx New Mommies Group hosts monthly meetings, educational workshops, tele-classes, and seminars where moms come together to socialize, discuss, and tackle common issues related to motherhood, children, and parenting.

Soho Parenting hosts parenting groups that balance developmental information with guidance about the emotional work it takes to be a thoughtful parent, as well as being a place for parents to meet and form lasting friendships.

Executive Moms has thousands of members from across the NY metropolitan area and nationwide. Free membership gets you subscribed to their emailer, access to the resource-filled website and invites to events especially tailored to the needs and interests of professional moms. Events are often networking opportunities as well as social ones.

Moms Night Out is just what the name says. This group was started in the spirit that daytime meetings only get you so far. Sometimes a girl's just got to be out after dark to really unwind and what better way than with other moms just like you.

Motherhood Later than Sooner is a group for moms who have children at the age of 35+ (which probably includes most of NYC). Meet other mature moms at playdates, family outings, moms night out dinners, and more.

Yahoo Groups. There are a gagillion (according to spell-check I spelled that wrong) Yahoo Groups out there. The active ones are really a great resource for sharing information, support, and, sometimes, stuff. Many of the groups are dedicated to one particular neighborhood. You can search the Yahoo Groups directory for your neighborhood plus "parents" and see if there is an active one in your neck of the woods. I think these groups are a great resource for New York City parents where you can share ultra-local information.

I could not find any active groups for New York City Dads. if you know of one please share it with us. In the meantime, this weekend at The New York Historical Society, NYC Dads, an outreach program by the NYC Department of Human Resources to support fathers and encourage dads to get more involved in parenting, is hosting a fun event for dads and kids. There will be Revolutionary-era games, crafts and historical re-enactors of George Washington and the 2nd Regiment. Plus food and prizes. This event is on Saturday, May 3rd beginning at 10am.