Erin Lichy from the Real Housewives of New York City (RHONY) is no stranger to the ups-and-downs of motherhood and is encouraging all moms to take time to reconnect with friends, even if it can seem overwhelming.
“It really is easy to get wrapped up and it’s easy to become a hermit,” Lichy told Newsweek. “I’ve done that before, but then you wake up one day and you’re like, what happened? Where did I go? And you kind of lose yourself.”
Lichy, who joined the RHONY cast two seasons ago for the reboot, became known on the show for hosting the women at her house in the Hamptons. It gave viewers a chance to see her hosting side and now Lichy is sharing her tips for having people over in her new book, She’s a Host.
The book is intended to take the pressure off hosting and make it easier for people to get together at home. And, as a mother to four kids, including a 7-month-old, Lichy is encouraging more moms to have their friends over.
She’s a Host” comes out on October 28, and is filled with recipes, tips for organizing spaces and create memories with friends and family. The book’s inspired by her own experiences hosting, whether that’s making food for her kids’ friends when they come over and are suddenly hungry or planning a dinner party.
“Hosting is supposed to be fun,” Lichy said. “So, there are easy tricks and tips in that are in there that make it less of a burden on you as the host.”
Lichy hopes some of those tips resonate with new moms and encourage them to keep socializing. She stressed the importance of moms getting together with their friends, even if it’s just at home in comfortable clothes enjoying a wine night or making a fun cocktail.
“It really just kind of grounds you in a way that no one else can and no other event can,” Lichy said. “When you become a mom, it adds a whole other layer. And if you’re working, it’s so much, so unwinding with human connection is so grounding.”
Lichy, a “big proponent” of female friendship, even included a whole chapter in her book dedicated to a girls’ night in. And Lichy is encouraging moms who are stressed about having to make a whole food spread for their friends while trying to take care of their kids to break with a hosting taboo.
“Sometimes if it’s too hard for me or I’m too busy, I’m like, ‘Hey, everybody bring a dish,’” Lichy said. “And there’s nothing wrong with that. It’s kind of fun.”
Asking people to bring a dish can be seen as a hosting taboo, but Lichy noted people genuinely want to bring food and even show off what they’ve brought. It’s about getting together with friends and if that means asking people to bring something, it’s completely fine, because people are going to ask what they can bring anyway. You just have to take them up on the offer.
“If you really need dessert, be like, ‘OK, can you please bring cookies?’” Lichy said.
Lichy’s book, which is timed to publish before the holidays, contains some surprising tips and ways to mitigate the stress of hosting, according to the Real Housewife.