I’m a Working Mom. I Think This One Part of Parenthood Just Isn’t in the Cards for Me.

Care and Feeding is Slate’s parenting advice column. There are plenty of people I’m friendly with, and one mom who even picks up my kid from school to bring to Girl Scouts, but there’s nobody I can ask to meet for a drink or go see a movie or do anything not kid related and I never get invited out to do those things either. The main reason I have mom friends in my town is because my kid’s first grade teacher told the other parents that we were new to the area and that I might need some neighbor support. —First Timer Dear First Timer, Well, first off, read the letter above for some solidarity and inspiration to take a leap at the party and just say, “Hi.” Honestly, I feel your struggle—I had similar trepidation going to my kids’ classmates’ parties. There are some ways to make it suck a little less, though: After your initial brave, “Hi, I’m Everett’s mom,” try to keep the conversation going for a bit.