Throughout job changes, school changes, and general life changes—it seems many of us have long-distance friends. Even becoming a mother, with time so limited, can sometimes make it feel hard to maintain friendships.
So how can you continue to foster and grow in the relationships you cherish, but may not get much time face-to-face?
Here are 10 things I do to keep my long-distance friendships alive:
1. Communication is key.
Many of these ideas echo that sentiment, but it’s important enough to get its own bulletpoint! Reach out often, even if it’s just a funny meme or favorite song.
2. Remember important events.
It’s easy to set a reminder on your phone’s calendar. Miss one? Don’t hestitate to wish a belated birthday or ask how an event went!
3. Do what you can do.
Similarly, what would you do if a friend had an important event, and you could see her? Try to do it! Does she have a big meeting? A $5 starbucks giftcard can give her a much-needed caffeine boost. Does she have exciting birthday plans you have to miss? Have a mutual friend that will be there (or their significant other!) buy them a drink on you.
4. Send photos!
Whether you mail, text, or even SnapChat photos of you and your family, send visual reminders. I love knowing what my friends are up to, and it brightens my day to see them and their family!
5. Send dinner!
Know your friend is going through a particularly hard time, busy time, or even has something to celebrate? Sending a giftcard for dinner, or even scheduling to have pizza delivered to their house one night, is the long-distance equivalent of bringing dinner to a neighbor.
6. Find a podcast, TV series, or read the same books.
Having something the two of you do together not only gives you some great things to discuss, but also creates a feeling of closeness.
7. Send small gifts.
A small gift—a card in the mail, a bracelet made by your daughter, or even a letter can be a fun surprise!
8. Plan a trip together.
Even if it’s a year away, having something to plan together and look forward to will not only give you a lot to talk about, but it will lead to getting some quality time!
9. Schedule time together.
We all go through periods where life gets crazy and we fall out of touch. If this happens, try and schedule a phone call or facetime together. By setting aside time, theres less risk something will “come up” and one of you won’t be able to make it.
10. Most importantly—thank them.
Let them know how much they mean to you, even though you don’t get the time together like you both would prefer. It’ll make the love that much stronger, and the distance and time apart that much smaller.
Whether it’s due to miles or time, maintaining friendships at a distance can be hard, but it’s possible. What else would you add to the list?
Make sure you never miss out on a parenting or community-related blog post: sign up to receive CRMB posts in your inbox. While you’re at it, join our VIP List to ensure you’re one of the first to know about upcoming Cedar Rapids Moms Blog events and promotions!!