AIBU pre booking fatigue - baby class edition

[Bookingfatigued]

First I recognise that I’m extremely lucky to go to baby classes and that new parents last year had long stretches without activities due to lockdown. I’m sorry to those that missed these experiences.

I’m posting to ask if anyone else feels like this and what it’s like in your area. Pretty much everything here you have to pre book in advance. Instructors hype up bookings and threaten waiting lists so you feel pressure to sign up or miss out.

I’ve lost about £20 per month by not being able to go to things for various everyday reasons related to life with a little baby. Also £80 down due to isolating. Drop in classes would be better for us so that you could just decide on the day and would discourage people going to class with symptoms/positive contact because they don’t want to loose money.

Even the local pool is keeping their booking system as ‘members prefer it’ - but the survey sent round was online so of course those who check emails and like to book are going to be the ones who respond (selection bias?!).

I appreciate the classes running and enjoy them when we can make it. Also understand there needs to be some way to keep track of numbers. So I don’t know what the answer is.

YANBU - baby classes should revert to pay as you go or make more allowances for those that need to transfer bookings, especially if they are going to resell your place

YABU - don’t go to classes if you don’t like the booking system. There’s no other way to run them

Pre-covid most activities were pre-book save for playgroups. The person running the lesson/session has to earn a living and can't risk people not showing up.

It can be annoying with little ones, but it is just the way of things. When I had 2 under 2 I didn't do any pre-booked classes, because I was certain we would miss half of them with bad nights/illness. Playgroups were my saviour. Use to go round the churches in my town - different one everyday. They were fab. Someone would hold the baby, I'd get a cup of tea and a biscuit.

The problem that you have now is the demise of the children's centre.

When I had my eldest (2016) they were still running and 4 out of 5 days a week you could drop in there. There were still the organised groups and they were pre book and pay in advance.

Children's Centres closed between 2016 and 2018 here. I had my youngest in 2018 and by then the Children's Centres had closed. Everything was pre-book and pay in advance. Well before covid.

There was a mix of both here when I had DD –the drop-in things were church hall classes mainly – but I imagine due to Covid that drop-ins aren't really viable when you have limits on how many people can safely attend. I don't think there's any way to get round that - you need to have some idea of how many are coming so you know you can accommodate them. Even the free classes you have to book for just due to limiting the numbers of adults.

Thank everyone - these are great suggestions.

Could possibly be the fatigue on top of prebooking other things in pandemic life in general so has become more of an issue that might not have noticed before.

Yes like NT was and the max no of people allowed in cafes earlier in the year - as babies were counted in the numbers (understandably) this rules out meeting more than one or two mums/parents at a time

I agree that the demise of the children’s centre is outrageous though. A pp mentions between 2016 and 18, but I found that between my first baby in 2008 and second in 2014 great swathes had closed, and those that remained had limited their hours incredibly.

Sorry I know it is hard. But years ago I remember all but parent and toddler groups being sign up and pay in advance. Nothing to do with covid. Baby massage you had to pay for I think 8 weeks in advance. They are businesses so do this to make sure they will make enough money.

It isn’t financially sustainable for many of the organisers to just have people drop in. They have the fixed costs and need to be able to run. I found I was more likely to make it because I had paid and committed. I also liked the continuity of having the same people there week in week out.

@GertrudePerkinsPaperyThing this is sad - they sound great

Back in 2008/9 they were fantastic where I live. You could drop in somewhere most days - often there was a choice - and a morning and afternoon session. There was even a good one on a Sunday in a poorer area of where I live.

This is of course how it should be, and there were demonstrable benefits to children - and therefore society as a whole!

About 7 years ago I used to take my two to a music group. Originally it was drop in, but it became two popular, so it changed to having to be pre book and split into two sessions. It was better after that... every toddler always got an instrument for example.

I also helped run a drop in group for a while... we never knew how much snacks to buy. Sometimes we had five or six, sometimes 25+.

Pre covid most things here had to be pre booked too.
Basically if it wasn't at the childrens centre which doesn't exist in most places now, it was prebooked

We are lucky to live in a military community that subsidise baby classes and groups for us. I understand why things are booked but I really resent when we miss a swimming lessons at £15 a go