Moms speed date to befriend other moms, find their ‘soul moms’

PHOENIX — A group of Valley moms organize speed dating events several times a year. But it’s not meant for moms to find a romantic connection.

Instead, they go to find their “soul moms.”

Katie Lambert, founder of Mom Nation AZ, said it’s meant to help moms find other moms they can connect with and befriend. She said the way it works is moms get a number when they register telling them where they have to sit.

“You sit and you’re across from another mom. That’s your first date basically,” she said. “You date for four minutes. We tell you when it’s time to move, and then you move on to the next mom and date for another four minutes.”

The next speed dating event for moms is Friday in Mesa, but it’s already sold out. The next one will take place in the fall.

Jessica Nelson, a mom of four from Mesa, said she has gone to a few speed dating events for moms.

“I have made six great friends from it,” she said. “We have a little circle that we do everything with.”

Lambert said she got the idea for the speed dating event for moms when she had her first child and found herself bound to her house. She also struggled to connect with her friends who didn’t have any children.

“When you have a child, you really don’t want to leave the house because you have to leave with everything but the kitchen sink,” she said.

Wanting to meet other moms in her situation, she started Mom Nation AZ.

“I thought if I start some sort of online group, maybe I’ll meet a couple of friends who are going through the same things that I’m going through.”

The speed dating event for moms is only one of many events organized by Mom Nation AZ. The group also hosts a number of social events, markets where moms can sell homemade products and play dates for kids.

“We tell other moms, ‘We were just like you at one point in time,’” Lambert said. “’We get it. Come out and hang out with us.’”

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