Still no toddler groups ...

[Springtime003]

So fed up that there are no toddler groups, no parks or libraries.
No one has even mentioned pre school settings other than nurseries briefly which are not being viewed as essential as school (mine has no space anyway)

I'm not planning on visiting a toddler group or soft play for a long time, it's not so much the risk of coronavirus I'm worried about, but once winter bug season kicks in, I don't fancy having the whole family self isolate for 14 days if the baby picks up a cough or cold.

It's been my hardest 4 months as a parent, hands down. Mine is 19 months. I took him for a walk round a National Trust place today and I think he thought he'd gone to heaven.

I've lost my job but he's going back to nursery on the 29th for 2 days a week. I can't wait for him to play with someone who isn't me. I do my best but I'm not an early years expert so there have been a LOT of books, TV and walks.

Most of my NCT friends have either been doing the awful balancing act of WFH with a toddler or are pregnant with number 2. Plus you can't really take 2 toddlers for a distanced walk if they insist on getting out of the buggy and inspecting every leaf/bird/noise.

YANBU!

I can understand toddler playgroups and soft play being closed - germ ridden at the best of times.
But playgrounds, splash parks and “petting” farms would be a very welcome distraction!

I don’t really see the difference between zoos, which can open, and farms (with no animal contact in place) which aren’t allowed to open at the moment 🤷‍♀️

Our toddler groups and classes (other than swimming) have carried on throughout on zoom and while it’s not the same it breaks up the day and it’s nice to connect with other mums. We’ve also started mixing with my sister and her family (kids same age) as both the preteens and toddlers needed the interaction desperately. All much happier now. I think the in person groups will be September now unfortunately, most don’t run over summer anyway

Feel a bit heart broken reading this. We run a toddler group in our church and are so sad to think it will be a long time before we can open again in real life. We have kept going on Zoom but it’s not really the same. Would welcome ideas on how we can help. It feels like it has been so hard on you and your small, people.

This makes me so sad. My 20 month old loved his toddler groups. I’ve contacted a nursery and childminder about him potentially doing one day a week in September so as he can have some interaction with other children. Apart from passing them in the park and on walks, he hasn’t seen another child his own age since March.

I’m really hoping our local sure start centre will re open toddler groups. They’ve always been much more regulated and they’re run by early years practioners and nursery nurses who work on site. Lots of help for vulnerable families too, I’m hoping they might be able to run some of their groups.

Ive 2 under 3 and its been bloody hard work. Oldest is missing her creche so badly. Sad to think she won't be back as she is due to start nursery in September. Still unsure if nursery will even start then

Toddler groups are important for social learning and mums' sanity.

The practical problem compared to schools (which are still on far less than 50% of service avaliable) is that cohorts mix around. One a week is not much of a problem, but by the time you structure your week with multiple activities, it's multiple routes of virus transmission.

My DCs do various extra curriculars including things like scouting which expises them to a much broader pool of people beyond their immediate area. They're not going to be in school before September, and logically I can't see extra-curriculars and social clubs including the likes of toddler groups opening until that level of mixing is settled.

And it sucks. Being a parent to very young children is tough, especially when usual support structures are compromised. I found it tough with a baby/ toddler combo that severely restricted options (plus they were often timeslots that just didn't work for us) and at the moment it's rubbish having chronically bored kids, and toddlers are far harder than school age.

Toddler groups really aren't necessary to ensure the wellbeing & development of children.

Why on earth would we want soft play or toddler groups to reopen at the moment??
We are still in the throws of a pandemic.

My DS is only 7.5 months but as we’re new to our area I’d been relying on going to baby groups to get out and about and make some mum friends. We’d literally been to one baby sensory session when lockdown started and it’s been Groundhog Day ever since, and I am so bored and so lonely...

@IfOnlyOurEyesSawSouls

Toddler groups really aren't necessary to ensure the wellbeing & development of children.

Why on earth would we want soft play or toddler groups to reopen at the moment??
We are still in the throws of a pandemic.

Socialising with other children isn't an important part of children's' development?

@IfOnlyOurEyesSawSouls

Toddler groups really aren't necessary to ensure the wellbeing & development of children.

Why on earth would we want soft play or toddler groups to reopen at the moment??
We are still in the throws of a pandemic.

Even if you disregard any benefits to the toddlers from the groups, the one thing toddler groups can be absolutel vital in is the well-being of the mothers.

Especially mothers who are isolated because they live away from family, have no family or few friends.

The whole picture needs to be looked at when considering the importants of something, not just the first glance benefit.

I’ve started taking my just turned 3 year old to the park to meet up with a couple of friends. The kids don’t distance from each other at all but I wouldn’t expect them to and right now that’s a risk I’m willing to take to get a bit of normality back into our lives.

I didn’t sign my daughter up to school nursery to start in September as I wanted her to have another year of all the playgroups and activities we do. But now I’m wondering if many of them are going to come back anyway. At least two of them are mainly staffed by elderly volunteers. If nurseries are opening in a fairly normal manner in September but playgroups aren’t, I think I’ll try and put her in nursery for at least a couple of mornings a week. To save my sanity as she’s so clingy and will only play if I play too and I’m soooo bored of playing with her toys!

Oh I reckon it’s because of all the Coronavirus right now. Hopefully when that’s all over the playgroups will be back.

Hopefully all the term time type toddler groups and classes will be given the go ahead to open up fully in September. Unfortunately it’s probably too late for them to have much hope of running anything before the summer holidays but if zoos and parks start to open up before then I hope it could become a bit more bearable for those of you with little ones.

I'm so pleased i didn't have a newborn or toddler during lockdown, the groups are what gave me sanity, you have my deepest sympathy!

While I'm here can I announce that I'm so annoyed Play parks are still shut, yet I can visit the zoo or pop into Matalan - nothing is consistent

@Elmo311 so a 2 year old? sorry that's my bugbear!

@Wolfgirrl Haha! That made me smile because it used to be one of mine too! Thank you for reminding me that I sounded like a twat.

He's 2 :)

Keeping a softplay clean is impossible, so they should really not be open any time soon
Most toddlergroups are volunteer run, so the cleaning again wouldn’t happen (my childminder spends 2 hours per day cleaning, same for school - all equipment gets cleaned several times per day)
outdoor playgrounds , I do agree could more feasibly open, but again, who would deep clean them 2-3 times per day?

I feel the same with my one year old. He really enjoyed Bookbugs etc. Playgrounds are opening soon in Scotland and various outdoor places like the zoo and botanic gardens so really looking forward to that.
I'm hoping at least some activities might start up at some point- there's one baby class I did that perhaps could move outside for example.
But it is difficult - the ones run by (often elderly) church volunteers I imagine might be a while, and I definitely don't think that softplay should open anytime soon.
But it does bother me that it seems only formal childcare is on agenda/valued- I don't want to have to send my baby to formal childcare just to socialise.
it is beneficial for toddlers to mix and baby groups were important for my mental health.

It sucks. I honestly wish DD and I could be prescribed sleeping tablets or put into an induced coma or something. We are both bored as fuck from just playing in the house or garden or doing little walks. I'm just clock watching until we can go to bed.

“Oh I reckon it’s because of all the Coronavirus right now. Hopefully when that’s all over the playgroups will be back.“

It’s not going to go away though, is it?

@RLOU30 I'm in a similar situation, I moved recently and don't have any local friends with children to meet up with. I feel like crying when intake DS to the park and see two families playing together.

Guernsey are out of lockdown now but when they were still distancing, the stay and plays halved the number who could go, all had to book a spot in advance, no coffee/snacks, and only toys which could be washed or cleaned with cleaning products so no soft toys, playdoh etc. Obviously there's still a risk but they did what they could and new that these stay and plays were so important for both parents and children's mental health and social interaction.

The example I gave was the equivalent of sure start, not someone who was desperate to make profit by running her class (seen this comment on Facebook groups)