Moving to a new city or state can be exciting, refreshing, overwhelming, and challenging all at the same time, especially if you’re relocating with younger kids. A popular phrase is “Find Your Tribe” or “It Takes a Village” but you don’t really understand the gravity of this until you’re a parent, and oftentimes until you’re navigating a new location without help from those you trust the most.

Once you move, you typically get your children settled in at a new daycare or school or Moms Day Out program and make sure your spouse is set up with what they need for their career, hobbies, etc. while unintentionally placing your needs at the bottom of the list.

Something you may not think to do or may not know how to do is make new friends for yourself. Sit and think about your five closest friends and how you met them. Chances are you met in grade school, in college, or at a job you had before you moved. They may even be a parent of one of your children’s besties from “back home.” So what do you do now? Say ‘hi’ to someone at Starbucks hoping to spark up a new friendship? If you haven’t established a new church, met people at your kids’ activities or at your office, this task can be daunting, even for the extroverts in the crowd.

A useful resource for meeting other moms nearby is the app Peanut. This operates similarly to a dating app but is made for women with children to help make friends. You swipe up or down to decide if you want to “match” with someone based on their interests, location, amount of kids and ages, etc., and have the ability to send a message if you want to try to get to know someone better. While this may sound awkward or weird, it’s actually a great tool for women who work from home, are SAHMs, or are shy in getting to know new people. You can also join groups on the app based on your location, interests, etc. to get involved in a larger community.

If you enjoy walking, check out The Mom Walk Collective to see if they have a branch in your new city. This organization is all about finding your village through walks with other women and about being a part of a community of women who need an outlet outside their home. While you may see many women with strollers or baby wearing, you’ll be happy to know this is for mothers with children of all ages and if yours are in school, you can join without them. It’s truly for women going through all walks of life.

Another way to start building your tribe is by joining local Facebook groups centered around interests you have or made for moms in the area. These can be a handy resource for when you’re trying to find a daycare, pediatrician, new dentist, a local kickball team etc., but can also be helpful when trying to find a coffee, beer, or workout buddy nearby. You’d be surprised how many other women are looking to make new friends.

Ultimately, being open to the idea of meeting new people and putting yourself out there is crucial to begin creating your community and feeling like you have a village when you’re new to an area. Make 2023 the year you step outside your comfort zone and do something for you. Make this the year you find your new tribe.

Finding Your Tribe When You’re New to Town