Finding Connection in the Loneliest Season of Parenting

Of all the things I was warned about before becoming a parent, no one mentioned the loneliness that so often creeps in.

Parenting can sometimes feel like living on your own little island, ships passing in the night with even your partner. If you’re a stay-at-home parent or work-from-home parent, you may go entire days without talking to another adult. And even if you do talk to other adults, it can be hard to truly connect when your mind is spinning with thoughts like, What can I cook for dinner tonight that my kids might actually eat that consists of more than sunshine and air?

As a stay-at-home mom, there are days I feel like my brain cells are slipping away. The parts of my mind once devoted to teaching middle and high school mathematics seem long gone, but if you need Chicka Chicka Boom Boom recited from memory, I’m your person.

We moved to Kennesaw in 2020, and I worked for a year before transitioning to staying home full-time. It was a tough time to meet people and build connections (and honestly, it still is). Over the last four years, I’ve been actively searching for friends. I’ve joined Facebook groups, tried Bumble BFF, even started this webpage. I became an active member of the local MOMS Club chapter.

I often take my children (3 and 1) to do all the lovely activities I write and post about locally. Sometimes, these outings spark conversations with other adults, which feels refreshing. But at the end, I often feel like a desperate teenager, hoping to somehow exchange numbers, wishing they might text me later so we can keep the conversation going.

That’s really the hardest part: connection is easy to spark, but so difficult to maintain. Life with young kids moves fast and is filled with constant needs, interruptions, and exhaustion. Even when we meet people we genuinely enjoy, turning those chance encounters into real friendships takes so much energy, energy that often feels in short supply.

If you’re reading this and nodding along, I’d love to hear from you. What has helped you through the lonely seasons of parenting?