I Don’t Get Baby Sensory

[SlyAvocado]

And I’m not sure my baby does either

We spent twenty minutes thanking the sun for shining on us and the corn for feeding us, and everyone else seemed to know all the sign language.

I don’t actually like corn so I didn’t particularly want to thank it, but the other mums seemed to really be appreciative of the corn and the other things in the song. The only sign I got to grips with was waving.

My baby didn’t give a toss anyway and spent most of the class staring at a bottle of hand sanitiser.

Then we waved some scarves over our baby’s faces, while the instructor danced around blowing bubbles to ‘Morning Has Broken’

My morning was broken at 4am anyway by my crap sleeper of a baby, 10am is practically afternoon for us.

I am new to the area so I tried to be jolly and talk to the other mums but they weren’t interested, I don’t know if it’s because I didn’t thank the corn.

I wore my Tears For Fears t-shirt with a sequinned blazer which might have been an odd choice but I thought, sequins are sensory aren’t they? The instructor asked if I was off to an 80’s party and I said no, I’m on my way back from one.

We will finish the course because I paid £65, so it’ll be like that time I got drunk and signed up to Zumba classes and made myself keep going even though I hated every minute of it and was rubbish and was asked to stand at the back by the fire exit.

Is there something I’m missing, are all baby sensory classes like that? Do I need to learn all the sign language?

I’m not overly bothered from a friendship point of view because we go to a music class too in a different area which is held in a pub and the parents are really friendly at that one. The baby also loves to shake a maraca like Bez, so I think he prefers it too.

Your description made me laugh!

We say hello to the sun a lot, except I’m always so late I tend to miss it.

The signs you pick up

We’ve made loads of friends at the classes which has been nice for lockdown babies!

What a load of old cobblers. What is wrong with taking baby for a walk?

I genuinely don’t get what is wrong with me , maybe I’m just reclusive .

I had a baby in 2019 and had no intention of doing these classes , he’s nearly 3 now .

But I can’t understand that saying “it got us out the house ‘ I literally didn’t wanna leave the house and see people , what is wrong with me ? Am I a depressive recluse - I still have that thought process now.

My mate goes ah I've gotta get out the house , I’m like why , it’s my happy place and all my stuff is here …. I think I have a problem with going out not staying in ….. what I’m asking is what the hell is wrong with me ?

Nothing's wrong with you. If you're happy it's fine. I like staying in but needed to get out when I was caring for a baby

Baby classes are more of a social event for mums (not so much the babies), although they do start to enjoy and participate when they get older, probably 8-9 months +

I am still friends with some of the ladies I met at these classes, and my kids are teenagers.

For me it was never about the song or the actual activities but about meeting people who were on the same path in their parenting journey. Have you not made any mum friends there?

My baby enjoys baby sensory which is the only reason I go. She is just over 4 months old and I'd say for the last 3 or 4 weeks has really been engaging. I found it quite cliquey at first but lots of the previous mums have gone back to work so I've made an effort to talk to the new mums. It isn't the kind of class where you really get to talk to your neighbours rough in my opinion, our instructor moves from one activity straight into rhe next so you don't get chance. I enjoy hartbeeps though which is similar but more music orientated, that class is a bit more relaxed, a smaller group and rhe instructor gives you opportunity to talk to the person next to you.

I've not made lifelong friends at either tbh but I just treat them as 45 minutes out of the house and a chance to do something different to the normal monotony with a young baby.

@SlyAvocado A class with any singing will help your baby's language acquisition and development (it takes years) and the sensory element will further support cognitive development and their natural curiosity, needed for later learning. Babies are like sponges, they learn from everything they are exposed to. Including parents' sarky attitude...

I think I love you OP!! sensory class is hell on earth!

This was my exact experience of baby sensory classes. Except there seemed to be some weird competitive Cosplay thing going on, with parents dressing their babies up to match the week's 'theme'. ' Cowboy' week involved at least two hand stitched, embroidered cowgirl outfits for 3 month olds...

My baby hated it, cried through almost the entire thing.

I left 10 minutes early on the first session. I made my husband take my daughter to the second session. I accepted the money was spent and turning up wasn't going to change that, and abandoned the remaining 6.

NEVER AGAIN

😂 my little boy was so bemused by baby sensory when we started going, I kept going though because I’d paid up front and I went with my NCT friends and we used to have lunch after. He just started to enjoy it when he was about 5 months old, then Covid arrived. Our baby sensory ran zoom sessions, I quickly gave up on them as I just couldn’t be bothered to prep everything 😂

All baby classes are a waste of time I think. It just goes way over there head and won't make a blind bit of difference just make you poorer ! When your kids get older you realise all them things you did were pointless really especially before a year old

I was looking at the pics a Facebook friend had posted of her baby at sensory class and couldn't help but marvel at the profound differences to the classes I took my little ones to in dusty church halls with knackered old Fisher Price trucks missing two wheels.. while us mums crunched on Nice biscuits and drank dire coffee... and which I never thought to question.

My kids weren't under-stimulated I don't think... they've certainly turned into functioning happy adults.

Having said that, I could do with an afternoon laying in a pit of colourful cushions having my feet tickled with feathers.. That's probably a different kind of class entirely...

Baby Sensory classes filled up very quickly round here and there were always waiting lists. Anyone who hates it, please let the instructor know if you don't plan to go back.

I feel you!!!!

Felt exactly the same about baby sensory - I went to the branded ones and the woman spoke in a highlight he’s voice all the way through. It was like she was in a rush to get through everything on the agenda… I think I went to two and then wrote the cost off

I started going to one of the local authority classes and it was so chilled. It was over lunch do the lady encouraged mums to bring a packed lunch and it was very sociable, with some sensory lights, some toys etc. The first half was free play, chat etc then the second sang a couple of songs with real instruments. Much more down to earth. Some people bought big bags of Doritos. It was great!!!

*high-pitched voice

I really laughed at this thread, especially the poster who mentioned the cab driver and the 'facking fevver'.
It can turn out to be a bit of a nightmare as one young friend of mine found out.
She got into the sensory c**p with her second child. Told her DH about it and one night he suggested she demonstrate the 'filmy scarf over his body' scenario. Now, months later, it's become a ritual she really hates and hid the offending scarves.
He bought a couple as he said he couldn't find the others and now can't perform without 'hours' of sensory titillation, sometimes with leaves from the garden.

I love baby sensory and so does my DD, I can’t do the signing but have a sing along! It’s just nice to be around other moms with babies of similar age! Suppose it does depend on the group to what experience you have!

@Dontwanttolivewithmylover

I really laughed at this thread, especially the poster who mentioned the cab driver and the 'facking fevver'. It can turn out to be a bit of a nightmare as one young friend of mine found out. She got into the sensory c**p with her second child. Told her DH about it and one night he suggested she demonstrate the 'filmy scarf over his body' scenario. Now, months later, it's become a ritual she really hates and hid the offending scarves. He bought a couple as he said he couldn't find the others and now can't perform without 'hours' of sensory titillation, sometimes with leaves from the garden.

Let me get this straight. She went to baby sensory, her husband asked for a demo of the scarves, he loved it so much he demanded it all the time, she hid them, he bought more and now he can't get it up unless she spends hours rubbing him with scarves and leaves from the garden?

I'm wondering how they managed to conceive their child in the first place.

I do wish you lived in my area as you sound like the kind of mum I would love to go to a class with! Have a 4 month old too and so far have avoided any classes. Just not sure I'm the right kind of mum and I think my baby wouldn't give two shits about thanking corn 😆 He's more interested in my boobs or trying to pull my fingers off. I feel like it would be a huge waste of money for us! I will stick to us walking in the forest and letting him have a nose at trees instead. Although you have given me hope that if I do go to any class down the line, there might be a chance I could meet one mum that I can click with

I really thought baby sensory would involve lights and bubble things and equipment I couldn’t get hold of. The course I signed up for was cancelled due to lockdown, then one was held on zoom which was literally the most mortifying experience of my life, then I had to leave mar leave early and they wouldn’t give me a refund, so baby sensory has left a sour taste for me.

Side note: I got a foil blanket for baby to lie on while I contemplated if I had pnd!

Fab T shirt....!!...well its all very popular where i am....all classes full and pricey....they bang tin cans, all sorts of nonsense....its the new pilates....all nonsense....12 quid and you get a free orange squash....people are making a lot of money out of this stuff.

Haha this is the perfect description of baby sensory! To a tee! Such a rip off. However I did make one of my best mum friends there, who remains a good friend years later, as we both bonded in WTF??-ery. There are great baby groups out there - I loved bongalong and also a folk music for little ones in a pub - but baby sensory is not one of them. A bit of a cringe-fest and way overpriced.
Each to their own though, lots of people love it, and if we were all the same life would be very boring!

Oh please tell me more about the one called Bongalong!! It sounds great!!

I’ve said it further back in the thread but I’ll say it again- I did really think Baby Sensory would be fibre optic lights, lava lamps and shimmery fabrics hanging up. You know- things that I can’t create at home! And preferably coffee.

But it’s just like the Baby Club on CBeebies- does anyone watch that? Where the say HEL-LO in a sing song and sit in a circle and have a cloth bag with random objects in like a fish slice.

Sounds like you went to hippy yoga. Baby sensory classes are great and you should as a mother understand how they stimulate your child and help with development

@Hmm1234 are you saying babies are at a disadvantage developmentally if they DON’T do a baby sensory class?