looking for a playpal for our 16 months old daughter, tooting, lodnon

[Miemie12]

Hi Mums,

I am looking for a playmate for our 16 months old Isabella. We practice gentle parenting, so ideally would like to meet with families with similar parenting style.

We live in Tooting bec in a house with a huge garden and very close to the common.

Isabella is at the stage where she is interested in interacting with other babies and likes to immitate other babies action. I think a playmate that can meet up twice a week will be quite beneficial for both babies

please reply to the message if you are interested to meet up.

[yipeeforthesun]

Have you tired local playgroups, my friend used to live in tooting and she was always going to playgroups in the mornings around tooting. Your DD could meet playmates there? My DS loves going to the playgroups round us. Hope that helps

[Miemie12]

I don't really like the playgroups as I prefer isabella to hang out with babies who are gently cared for. Playgroups are full of stressed out babies with agressive behaviours. they are usually cared for by nannies and au pairs who just leave them to cry or threathen them all the time.

[AnarchyAunt]

[Claire2009]

[HighOnDieselAndGasoline]

LOL

[DebiNewberry]

oh dear lord.

[AnarchyAunt]

Haven't you got any friends with children?

Or are they all too common stressed out and aggressive for her to mix with as well?

[mumof2222222222222222boys]

I have a lovely 18 month old niece in Tooting Bec...but somehow OP, given your lat post, I suspect you wouldn't get on with my (lovely) SIL.

[mumof2222222222222222boys]

last.

[coppola]

that's quite a blanket statement isn't it? - playgroups are full of stressed out aggressive children. Given that english is your second language, perhaps you don't realise how alienating your posts are.

anyway I'm sure there is a playgroup somewhere in sw london that meets your needs. Perhaps this one might be a place for you to meet like-minded parents

[EyeballsInABadMood]

Ok let's lay off the attack. Is gentle parenting an actual approach? If so please explain it or explain what your approach is.

[suwoo]

I have a friend perfect for you, but we live in manchester. Sorry

[coppola]

I'm assuming that post wasn't in response to mine, eyeballs?

[JFly]

I'm not sure what "gentle parenting" is, but most of the play groups and other classes that I've been to in Wandsworth are full of very nice people with nice babies. Some play groups are quite busy, so if that's not your style, try a few more. IME all toddlers go through stages of "aggression" (hitting/biting, etc) but I wouldn't say that's necessarily down to the parent or carer. I certainly hope not, anyway, given my son's (15.5 months) tendency to bite me!

Maybe give yourself and other parents a break and get to know some local people. Then you will naturally find suitable playmates for your daughter.

[Swedes]

Chilren don't actually play together until they are about 3. Up until then they parallel play, which is tolerating someone who is doing his own thing within view.

Tolerance is a good thing to teach.

[MeAndMyMonkey]

16mth would like to meet...
Lolaments.
Is this a joke? Vg if so. If serious, I fear living in Tooting is prob hampering poor Isabella's development, you need to move to somewhere posher immediately.
HTH

[EyeballsInABadMood]

No of course not Copploa x posted. I just meant I'd quite like to hear what the op means.

[EyeballsInABadMood]

Coppola even

[coppola]

gotcha! I assumed she means attachment continuum type parenting, but good to check

[EyeballsInABadMood]

Not that I'd be any good. I'm coming off anti Ds and have PMT. No gentle parenting in this house at the moment. We'd scar poor Isabella for life

[Miemie12]

Yes yes yes! I am strongly opinionated against the mainstream parenting in this country, leaving the baby in the pushchair, cry to sleep, bottle feeding, no wonder the english babies are the unhappiest in Europe, haven't you seen the news on the tele. And I am not suprised to see so many mums are on Anti-D and have PND! The way you care for your children does not have any love, the children grow up being really cold, self-absorbent and stressed out.

I go to mothers group where all the mothers practice attachment parenting. I do not want to socialise with anyone who cares for the children in the sterilised and clinical way because it upsets me and upsets Isabella even more to see the babies suffering like that!

If you see this statement is an attack towards the modern industrial way of parenting in west europe, then it is!

[Claire2009]

Where are you originally from Miemie?

[dizzymare]

I read this as the kid needing paypal

[artifarti]

I have a baby and live in Tooting also. We go to lots of playgroups and my DS does not appear to be emotionally scarred or feral just yet.

[HighOnDieselAndGasoline]

Wow Miemie, way to make some friends!

'The way you care for your children does not have any love' is a huge generalisation. There are loving and unloving parents in every country, even yours I am sure.

I also don't think that breast and bottle feeding have got anything to do with how much you love your child.

I think you also got people's backs up with your comments about nannies and au pairs. There are lots of childcare professionals who subscribe to the same principles as you. DD's childminder is very supporting of breastfeeding, would never let her cry to sleep etc.

Good luck with your search for some perfect parents and children!