To feel sidelined and invisable?

[1dilemma]

Got a letter throught the post today inviting me to all the wonderful opportunities offered bby my local council under the umbrella of surestart to make them look family friendly
Oh Great I thought
first up winter party Friday lunchtime
next baby massage monday am and Wed pm
next fun family learning Tues and Thurs.

Leaflet from library: Fulham football club classes at half term girls only (at the only one within 5 miles of my house)

Not one single thing for working parents

Am allready a bit grumpy because it is effectively impossible for us to access pre-school provision in this borough and the oneplace where it is is loosing even more spaces.
(please don't turn this into a girls and football thing!)

absolutely agree. my local surestart has attempted to address this - by having sessions for fathers on Saturday mornings .

OK clearly I am!

Cross posted thanks anything on a Sat here would be fab

Can see where you are coming from, do you mean no weekend activities, etc?

I know many families who benefit from the surestart programme around here.

I went along to one of their 'parent/child' groups I found it all a bit strange! They took all my details and then arranged a 'home-visit' which entailed the group leader coming and asking endless questions about me, my dcs and my life in general? She pointed out that the group was aimed at getting parents to engage more with their child/ren and giving constructive/practical advice on how they could do this. She said I was more than welcome to attend if I wanted but that she thought I was already doing a wonderful job?! I havent been back, although I would have liked to as the activities that were going on their were fab (dd did some clay modelling and everyone was having a great time!)

oops, took me so long to write that, you'd already answered my q about weekends, etc!

The SureStart programme is aimed at parents who are unable or unwilling to access the more 'middle class' (for want of a better word) activities so is trying to target those kids who don't normally get taken to stuff. But they have found that the people that use it are the people who they generally think are well-provided for (or at least who will actively seek out opportunities to do activities with their kids). They're not aimed at working parents really.

But I agree - it's really annoying. My baby hasn't had his 9 month check because of course the only time they do it is when I'm working!

I didn't know they did any surestart stuff, I thought it was all in borough L

Little kickers does Saturday classes

Yup agree never anything for working mums - will start stuff while on mat leave and never be able to go back

But alot of this stuff is run by people who are either SAHM (such as post natal groups) or by working people who also would like thier weekends off.

Why don't you start a group yourselves rather than moan about the lask of provision. Most pre-schools are run by volunteer committee members. There is nothing to stop you starting something at the weekend.

Thanks guys went off to play trains and chase children down the hall

Spice surely the ultimate families that are unable to access activities are the children of parents in full-time work?!! (I know that's not what surestart is aimed at and I know all the babymassage in Camden and Hackney is full of people living in houses worth £1,000,000.
Still waiting for 8 (it's 8 month here I think) month check on my lo too!
Blonde I've lost your phone number what about that drink?
Surestart is coming under something elses umbrella round here I think, Little kickers strangely doesn't grab me, it's inside and expensive.
macdoodle I've started so much in that was, I actually have a 9 class sredit with one local organisation!!

dramaqueen sorry I'm probably going to sound really tetchy now but these aren't run by volunteers or SAHM these are things run by my borough supposedly for the benefit of all children, paid for out of my taxes so should be accessible to me as much as anyone else. Why is it acceptible for my borough to ignore working parents in such a fashion? Indeed if you read half the stuff on here SAHM don't even consider people like me to be proper parents to my dcs so surely we as a family are more in need of family bonding sessions
FWIW I am allready on the board of a local charity, as well as course rep for something I'm studying as well as organising something else for others benefit at work so I'm happy that my 'debt to society cup' is about as full as it can be without me resulting in a nervous breakdown!

hello, it's a bit late for a bevvie now
maybe tomorrow?

chicken
yeah
(must finish essay, must finish essay)
(must get off mumsnet and finish essay)

well we do still have wine open and FIL is in bed if you want to pop round!

I have sent you email with phone nos

(must finish essay)
and as dc2 announced to the whole cinema 'Mummy why are you wearing your pyjamas?'

nice wine?

will bring leaflet if I remember

okay good luck with essay
I must go to bed night night

reasonable wine!!

are you changing your mind?
need to know!

No must do essay really have sat here every night this week trying and fallen asleep to wake dribbling on keyboard at 2 am!!

okay we will have to meet up soon