To want to take 6month DD to Baby Ballet?

[MillieMoosMummy]

My DD is actually 5 months but baby ballet starts at 6 months (anyone have any experience of this??)

My MIL basically told me I shouldn't, in front of all of DH's family. She thinks DD 'Does enough already!'

I felt like she was implying that DD isn't having a good time, or that I'm not thinking of her, but I swear she likes her actvities.

At swimming lessons she smiles and splashes, at Gymboree she actually laughs and giggles.

We also do Catapillar music and go to rhyme time at the library.

In four weeks we are starting 'Gymbabes' at Tumbletots.

I tried P & T groups but found them really cliquey.

I'm quite upset about MIL saying this and really enjoy DD's activities.

AIBU? Is she right?

Ok. I have spent a couple of hours of my life reading this thread from start to finish, and I have this to say;

cycling christ,read whole thread and a biscuity ares face

thanks for that incisive summatiom

bemused this is weird and tits up thread

MillieMoo said "and is called 'The Perfect Baby'"

Sorry, but I have the perfect baby :-)

Actually, in OP defense, I did lots of stuff with DD2 until I went back to work.
OK, it wasn't the same amount, but I wouldn't have put in beyond the realms of normality to do an activity in the morning, especially if it's just a walk down the road.

I went to Baby Group (Mums and Babies, whatever you want to call it) from 10-12 once a week and swimming once a week. I was thinking about doing a music group but never got around to joining. Some of these activities are drop-in and you pay per session so it certainly wasn't expensive, again especially if you don't need to drive anywhere.

I'd get up, get the older one off to school, do a bit of housework, then the activity of the day, then nap, then play or housework or whatever needs doing until it was school pick up time. Plenty of time for play and down time.

I have a 10 year age gap between my children and am just loving having a wee one again. He's our last and I suppose I wanted to try different groups knowing that I wouldn't be able to when I returned to work. I don't think DS2 needed these activities, but they were fun, it got me doing something other than housework and I loved doing the SAHM thing.

Now I work 3 or 4 days a week our activity on our day off is a trip to Tesco cafe - though DS gets to sit in the Little Tykes car trolley and the cafe is upstairs with a great view over the town so he thinks it's fun. I'd prefer to go music though.

thedogswollocks - i will sound all pfb etc but all the babies dd's age we know do baby signing and my dd is the one who actually talks.

sungirltan - aren't we saying the same thing?

My DD didn't do baby signing and went straight to talking, whereas the baby signers signed for yonks first and spoke a lot later.

Or are you saying something else?

I love this thread. It's kept me up to ridiculous times 2 days running now...

Well, it's not ludicrous... it just doesn't do much.

Ds (15 months) has some signs.. we didn't go to any classes but I sometimes sign without thinking about it (occupational hazard). Usually while I read a story. So he signs milk, drink, food, flower, aeroplane, crocodile, lion, butterfly, book and boat. He has about 20 other words (speech). He signs and says "car", "train", "monkey" and "fish".

There's just no benefit to theories it advances language development. From my POV as a mother vs as a SLT, the benefit I find is that sometimes it's fun to see what he's thinking e.g. there are some blocks with letters on them on a toy train he has and he pointed them out the other day saying "choo!" and signing "book" + a point. On another occasion, my sister said someone was "playing" and he signed "plane" and looked into the sky. It's funny and cute but it isn't going to make him superverbal, I don't think! On the other hand, there's nothing wrong with it. You could argue that it keys parents into what a child is thinking about but the research shows that parents are pretty nifty at working these things out via natural gesture, no need for a formal sign system.

Woah. Italics went a bit mad there.

I certainly wouldn't assert that it advances talking - didn't really bother with signing with DD, she talked averagely. DS OTOH was very delayed and (most likely due to him being my PLB and being babied!) just screeched and pointed, causing loads of frustration and tantrums. That was the only reason I payed for a course. It is helping already so I am convinced that if done properly it can help a child who otherwise wouldn't be communicating IYSWIM.

Anyone who does a baby activity in an attempt to make their child advanced is a bit... Erm... surely? They're BABIES!

OMG! I wrote 'payed' instead of 'paid' - time for bed methinks

I think some people do do activities to advance their child, sadly!

Have just heroically waded through the last few pages of this thread.
MMM, have you told your MIL you are 'firmly on the moral high ground'? Have to say, she rather has my sympathy now (assuming she exists).

Cinnamontoast - 'firmly on the moral highground' was after two glasses if wine (which these days floors me ;))

I can't tell her anything. I've always found her quite intimidating, so the recent criticism after 5 months of nothing was quite a shock. I told her to make conversation :p and didn't expect the response.... Especially infront of everyone!

Cinnamontoast - it's lovely you sympathise with her!

Really don't know how this got so far from reality.

This thread makes me bored of other parents in general.
How can anyone think that this crap matters?

If this is the kind of person who goes to these silly events then I'm glad I never bothered in the first place.

Ah, yes. Jealous indeed: of your class, style and substance. Your baby is so lucky. And here it is:

'Freaking breasts' is my new swear word.

"One who doesn't want their mother to argue with virtual strangers all day????"

Oh, the irony.

3 glasses of wine. (sniffs) mother of the year not bf then ;-)

meanwhile i can afford more than 3 hours of activities a week with dd. i win!!!!! (where is my parenting trophy?)

(discalimer. i am taking the piss)

This is beautiful. Actual art.

Aaah ok now I am utterly convinced this is a big fat wind up - surely nobody could be stupid enough to write that post (1:39) without being totally ashamed of the irony?!