May 2011

Moving into a new town or neighborhood can be a real adjustment, and not just for the kids. Mom and dad need to make friends too. Becoming a regular face around town is a great way to establish yourself!

Here are a few ideas for getting to know the people in your neighborhood:

Take it outside. Plan to spend time outside – yes, that means the front yard - in the morning or early evening when neighbors are coming and going. Make sure to look presentable. First impressions can mean everything, so don’t head out in your pj’s!

Take your dog or children for a regularly scheduled walk or bike ride and make contact with the people you run into. This allows you to make casual contact and remember people based on their daily habits.

Get involved in a local association. Decide what level of responsibility you are interested in before attending the meeting so you can avoid overcommitment, but joining your child’s PTA or homeowner's association will put you in direct social contact with parents and influential neighbors. The HOA, community chamber, and city websites often post their meeting schedules, as well as previous agendas online.

Join the YMCA or a popular local gym. Not only will you improve your cardio health, you will burn off the stress of your move and meet a variety of local residents. To insure you get a diverse sampling of people, sign up for both a weeknight and weekend fitness class. Give yourself 15 minutes before and after class to mingle with people you think you might want to get to know better.

Once you get to know a handful of people, host a cocktail hour and invite everyone to your new home. Serve something simple and keep the event relatively short – specify a beginning and end time to avoid overexposure to someone who turns out to be different than what you had expected.

By allowing yourself a variety of local venues and initiating contact, you can begin to develop a social circle in no-time!

Plan to bring your glass, paper, plastic and aluminum to a recycling station at the Andrea and Bill White Promenade at Discovery Green on the second Saturday of each month starting at 10 a.m.! The program even welcomes old computers so that Comp-U-Dopt, a non-profit organization, can refurbish and donate your old computer to a child who does not have one in their home.

The park staff will accept your recyclable items in the park office during the hours of 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., regardless of whether the container is on site, at the pavilion near the intersection of McKinney and Crawford. Visit DiscoveryGreen.com/GreenPark for more information.

Discovery Green is an urban park that serves as a village green, a source of health and happiness for our citizens, and a window into the diverse arts and traditions that enrich life in Houston. It is operated by Discovery Green Conservancy, a private, non-profit organization. At the behest of Houston’s Mayor Bill White, the Conservancy was formed in December 2004 and was charged with designing, building and operating Houston’s new urban park, which opened in April 2008.

Source: Chronicle & LarrySpeck.com