To think "classes" for babies and very young children a re a money-making scam?

[Gateau]

I've never heard anything so ludicrous in all my life - "classes" for babies and very young children. I'm talking about the likes of music and singing classes, 'gym' classes, overpriced swimming classes etc etc.. The list is endless.
Recently someone told me their baby learnt to "wave" at a music class and another told me their little one learnt to climb stairs at gymn classes. Ummm, can we not teach them these ourselves??! I did.
I just find them so patronising and more than that, I don't think it's fair to put them in classes at such a young age. There's enough time for classes when school comes round.
I know some Mums, partic SAHMs want their LOs to socialise with other LOs and classes are a social outlet for them, but what's wrong with natural growth - ie nursery,a playgroup or mother and toddler group, soft play, the park, the garden, playing inside with them yourself, inviting other LOs round to play......??
IMO these classes are nothing but a money-making scam; I can't believe so many parents have fallen for it.

One piece of advice: don't read it if it offends your fragile senses.

don't worry, I won't be taking any advice from you Gateau. thanks anyway.

I'm wounded greenandpleasant

Some of them are expensive - stupidly so (15 quid a session for swimming) but there are plenty of free things (lovely baby massage at my local children's centre) and much cheaper things at around £4 or less a session. DS did a music group from 11 weeks and loved every second. He liked to watch the group leader and the older babies doing stuff when he was too young to join in, and later would do the bashing bits

We're also going to swimming lessons because I'm not very confident in the water, and I'd like DS to be more confident than me - I feel like the lessons will help me with that (although we go at the weekend with DH too)

So yes, I think YAB a little U

We took ds to gym classes on the advice of his physiotherapist to help with his balance and co-ordination. Difficult to tell if it made a difference because obviously we couldn't do a controlled experiment. And that's the problem with this argument. One parent can say that swimming lessons helped their child's water confidence whilst another says their child is confident because they splashed them themselves. Unless the parents swopped children in some sort of parallel universe this is an utterly pointless debate.

If you have a problem with overpriced and over sold activities take that up with the organisers. If you think that such classes are hothousing children then don't go. But I think it is unfair (and totally pointless) to have a go at other mums who said they and their children enjoyed said classes and thought them worthwhile. You have not attended those particular classes or met the attending mums or children so how are you in a position to judge?

What is good is if there are a range of activities available for different families at different budgets and locations. If you don't feel you need any of these things then great, but other people obviously enjoy them. That doesn't necessarily make them saps. Just different from you.

We are all in a position to judge. We all judge - unless we are saints.
What the hell is the problem with that?

oh yawn

I think you've got too much time on your hands. I honestly would never have the energy to judge someone doing something that isn't harming anyone and that they enjoy. Not a saint just too busy to find time to worry about whether someone takes their baby to Jo Jingles or not.

I frequently judge people for being narrow minded though.

I did loads of baby classes, particuarly with DS1.

I'm sure that for him they were a waste of time.

For me they gave me structure to my days, and fulfilled my 'middle class giving your child lots of experieneces and opportunities', need, that I have still not fully shaken off.

So, yes it's a business opoortunity with a market full of mothers like me, so money to be made.

Like all business opportunities really.

Think we're a bit deluded in our belief that it will make the difference to our 6mth old though. But we'll do it all the same 'just in case'.

So you're fairly rasonable imo gateau.

You have the time to judge my judging though. Why bother?
You're on here a lot yourself so don't bother accusing other people of having too muchh time on their hands.

Yep 7 discussions in the last 3 days. Loads.

You're right, bringback. These classes are a very middle class concept- another reason for not going. All these people trying to do the "perfect" thing. Yuck

oh fgs. no one on here has said that it is the "perfect" thing. or even that they are necessary or make perfect babies or anything close to that. what most people have said if you could be bothered to read their responses to your question is that classes have been great for them and possibly had side benefits for their DCs. what is with the massive chip on your shoulder?

You think?

The music class I went to with ds3 wasn't particularly middle-class. The sure-start classes (often baby signing, baby massage etc at least they are round here) are aimed specifically at the non-middle classes - living in a supposedly middle-class area I couldn't even access them. As I said I went to ds3's class in order to avoid having to talk to other mothers as I would have had to at a parent and toddler group. And if I had managed to find a baby signing class I would have taken it with the intention of helping out ds3 with the SN's he was likely to have. No 'perfect-thing' going on there.

x-posted (but quite agree with) stillstanding

Stillstnding. Why the hell would I have achip on my shoulder? What an utterly stupid thing to say.
I can AFFORD to pay for the classes; I can go if I choose; I just choose not to. So WHY do I have a chip on my shoulder? THINK about it.

Only on MN can people spend 300 posts arguing that a woman is Mad and An Idiot to spend her own money as she sees fit in the entertainment of herself and her child, whilst meanwhile there are another 300 women arguing for all they are worth that a woman who has hit, sworn at and verbally abused a child in public might have had a hard day and is deserving of nothing but sympathy. And a pregnant woman does not deserve some slack but some sweary public dope smoking bint you have never met probably does.

I don't know why you have a chip on your shoulder. I don't know why you ask a question and then completely ignore the perfectly reasonable responses to it. Of course you can come to different conclusions to others on a topic and of course you are entitled to your opinion but I don't know why you are so aggressive and rude about it. I DO know that you are boring and so am going to stop THINKing about you.

Mmm.. And isn't it just as well we provide the entertainment the because some people obviously have the time to and enjoy reading all of them.

I think you are truly deluded if you think that your posts (on this thread at least) have been in any way entertaining.

Do you now? Gosh, I am bothered still standing.
You are a complete child. Resorting to the "you are boring" insults (or so you think) because you've damn all else to say.
Yes, you're right, the scarf waving classes are for YOU - the real child.

the nice thing about classes is that its a set and organized time to do an activity, and in some cases (such as the singing ones for me personally) a learning experience for parent!

i have heard of parents sending their children to 20pound cooking classes and that sounds absolutely ridiculous and a complete sham though!!!!!!!!!

the nice thing about classes is that its a set and organized time to do an activity, and in some cases (such as the singing ones for me personally) a learning experience for parent!

i have heard of parents sending their children to 20pound cooking classes and that sounds absolutely ridiculous and a complete sham though!!!!!!!!!