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.

I would happily go to any class that had you as a participant, OP - you sound like my kind of woman!

This made me laugh. I am so happy that I don't have to do any of that shit anymore.

I would add to my above post and say I have met babies and children who have spent their formative years not being taken anywhere and it generally isn’t great.

Speech therapists are reporting an increase in referrals as a result of lockdown. That isn’t purely down to baby classes but is a contributory factor.

Nothing wrong with Tears for Fears OP. Your outfit sounds great.

I thought baby sensory was batshit nonsense personally. They inflated a giant rainbow ball and it was bouncing around the room and smacked into a seated baby’s head knocking it flat to the ground and howling crying.

@Danikm151

Much better to take baby to pets at home. stand in front of the fish tanks and pretend to be looking at stuff whilst baby sits there fascinated with the fishies and water. Bonus if there are rabbits haha

Agreed. When my son was a baby I used to do outings to Pets At Home on rainy days just for something to do. Id buy cat food to make the trip worthwhile, but tbh I have got the cat food from the shop round the corner.

Hahaha!! This is me at every baby class I’ve ever tried only minus the sequins. My babies are both big fans of tears for fears and the cure (amongst others) from womb to now.

I have no idea about baby sensory, but I love your OP!

All the PPs getting upset that others didnt like something they did - Phew. You liked it? Great! No one is mocking you.

I don't like that sort of thing at all. So I didn't go, or ever consider it. The weird part is going along to multiple classes, then smugly saying how crap they are and how it's so lame to go. And asking why people go. When you go yourself!

Ooh get you too cool for baby sensory with your sequins and sassy back talk to the class leader

There were plenty of baby classes I did like,so it's not just people sneering at baby classes. I really enjoyed the fitness class I did in the local park. Had a good chat with other mums and the movement helped keep my baby content. Baby massage was lovely. There were loads for toddlers that were great. And I do love a library rhyme time. Where else was I going to learn the words to Wind the Bobbin Up?

Just unnecessary. Not every baby would have needed feeding and there was far too much on show that I didn't need to see. Yes, I have breastfed 5 children.

There's something up here. A mother who breastfed five children taking offence about breastfeeding mothers being "on show" at a baby group?

I don't know what they'd say about your attempts to be sociable at the group but I'm willing to bet it would substantially change how your account looks. Even if you were the expert on who needs feeding and who doesn't, so what? It's a baby group!

@ibuiltahomeforyou

I once got a black cab and the driver, in the broadest cockney accent, said he looked after his granddaughter one day a week and had to take her to baby sensory classes on his daughter's instruction.

To quote him: 'why am I brushing a facking fevver dahnn this baby's face?'

That could well have been my dad

It sounds as though your baby might be a bit young for it- maybe ask if you can defer it for a couple of months until they can sit up. My kids and my nieces loved it, but you do need to give it a few sessions (I think babies like the repetition).

What a brilliant post. Sounds like some kind of money making scam.

I liked those type of classes (although didnt do that specific one) as it gave a bit of structure and reason to get out of the house. Also, I found it a bit dull to think of things to do with baby (she wasn't good at entertaining herself!) and found it quite relaxing to have someone tell me what to do for an hour!

There's an important process to go through in deciding which classes are for you.

While I adored Baby Sensory, I spent most of Monkey Music wide eyed at how shit it was. Thank the Lord for free taster classes.

Baby sensory is rubbish, and you have to sit on the floor-as an older Mum I have trouble getting up again!
I’d like to know where this baby in a pub group is though.

@Antssausagedog

What a brilliant post. Sounds like some kind of money making scam.

It's not a scam. It's a franchise and people sign up to run their own classes, like Slimming World amd Zumba. You get what you pay for. Some people like it, some don't, but the concept isn't something anyone should be struggling with.

Any "class" where the activity is targeted at a baby under 1 or even 18m is generally a waste of money.

The baby does not give a shit about the class, but participating in said daft activity means you aren't doing what you are probably there hoping to do, which is chat to other mums, preferably with a tea & a biscuit.

The far better option is baby/toddler groups typically hosted in church halls by vintage ladies. Tea, biscuits and a selection of old toys are typically provided. You spend the time chatting, vintage ladies hold baby while you wee/have first hot drink in weeks, you get a biscuit & tea, you are not required to book/pay £80 a term.... etc etc.

Need I say more?

It’s all BS but gives you something to leave the house for!

Your description is brilliant. I never made friends with the other mums at baby sensory either. I took my DD to a baby sensory class with lights and glowing things and at the end the instructor would come round with a bubble gun blowing bubbles over the babies whilst making whooping noises at them. I tried another class where I had to put rubber gloves on my feet and sweatbands on my baby. I took her to an opera/musical baby class where she didn't want to join in with the swaying piece of fabric which was meant to be the ocean.

With DS (lockdown baby) I've not taken him to anything and I often feel guilty about it, but I'm reminded how awkward I found a lot of the classes I took DD to.

Ah I’ve done that particular baby sensory class, and was similarly perplexed at why I was thanking the corn for feeding and the rain for cooling me?! I’d rather it didn’t thank you very much! I do a different “brand” of baby sensory class now and much prefer it, as does my baby! I think different people like to do different classes, my SIL did baby music and yoga classes but I’ve done baby massage and sensory etc.

A friend runs a baby/toddler class, each session is a different theme like propreoception, crossing the midline, balance. I cant help find it a little pointless in regards to it's intended use as I studied briefly child development and most children just develop these things through their natural development stages, so didnt really make sense to me unless the child had a developmental disorder.

Saying that though its very popular and everyone seems to enjoy it. When I have a baby I will likely go to them for the social aspect, it might also teach me some baby/toddler talk skills as I really dont know how to interact with babies/toddlers very well, I'm very awkward with them!

I found it a bit dull to think of things to do with baby

What do you mean? You dont do anything with a baby. You cart it round with you and it enjoys hearing you chat, watching you shop, smiling gummily at the checkout staff, fiddling with your keys, rummaging in you handbag and chewing on your purse etc

Re the sign language, saying hello to the sun is basically the wanker symbol 😀