To find M&T excruciating.

[lucyellensmum]

Is it just me of are mother and toddler groups full of middle class competitive mothers? I take my little girl because she loves it but pleeeeeaaaaaaaaase spare me from the small talk. Yeah yeah im probably jealous cos i dont fit in.

Oh and I hate M&T as well. Yes, thoroughly weird mothers there, I never fitted in, went about 3 times total with Ds1 and never intend to with Ds2 at all. A good friend invited me the other day, she goes to hundreds of the things, (whyyyyyyyy?) and I actually said, 'No, thanks but I hate toddler groups!' she was quite surprised but fine about it.
My baby is too young anyway, he can't even crawl yet. I refuse to be pressured into spending mornings with a room full of other people's kids when it is hard enough to be in a room with my own.

I took over running our M&T when the previous lady left.

We have changed things a little bit because she used to do everything and I don't. We have mums that come early and help set up and other mums that do a crafty table some that help with snack time and one lovely mum who brings her guitar and does a song time with the littlies whilst we pack away the toys.

There is lots of chat - some child related but also lots that is more of a catch up.

There are usually between 10-15 families there and we charge £1 per family. This means we have people of all financial backgrounds coming. I have really enjoyed getting to know ladies that I would never have had the opportunity to get to know.

I have been to several groups that I couldn't stand so I guess it is horses for courses kind of thing.

I tried a few groups being new to the area and have found one that I really like.
It's a new NCT group so there hasn't been time for cliques to develop and it's a really friendly bunch of women running it.

I went to one MT group run by a church, and one of the organisers had 2 children - a baby and a toddler. The toddler screeched evert time another child came near him. He became hysterical when my DD2 picked up his beaker off the floor and his mother said that he wasn't to worry because not all children know not to take someone else's things. (My DD2 was about 14 months at the time )
I didn't bother going back, although I had to tell the curates wife why when she cornered me in the school playground.

You need no read mine backwards too.

Ours is fab but then I would say that - I run it! We have 2 groups (Monday & Tuesday) & I run the Monday group & am secretary for both (it meant I got 2 xmas nights out).

We do the toys/songs/crafts thing & we're all at different heights on the social scale but it's definitely not cliquey & everyone just gabs away to everyone else so I usually have to shout to make myself heard.

We had our xmas party this morning (with Santa!) & I was a nervous wreck as this is my first xmas running it but it was great & the kids had a fab time.

Am knackered now tho'.

i help with ours - and i think everyone there enoys it as much as their children - they cerrtainly ask when we'll be back after christmas with desperate looks in their eyes