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.

Janni - its ok to do things like that as long as you ask them why they are asking you to let him go under water and then only go ahead if you agree!
I was told the same and did ask why. I was told that it shows them when they jump in on their own they need to learn for safety's sake that they cant yet swim!
My DS is nearly 3 now, cant swim yet, but knows exactly where he can and cant jump in (on his own) as he knows he cant touch the floor in certain places. I always let him jump in himself and give him a second before I then grab him. He doesnt think he is invincible now and it could save his life one day!
I agree with the principal, but of course if you dont then you dont have to go along with that bit. the groups dont force you into things, just suggest.

What really got me, though, 2point4, was that he was expecting me to catch him and I didn't. That's what upset me.

Thats quite

It would've upset dd too.

Nonetheless, swimming is a very important life skill and as such I don't really see it in the same light as some other 'classes'.

Oh, I hate those class thingies, but they are a good chance to meet up with other Mums.
I've tried taking ds to Jo Jingles because my friends go. I think he could tell I hated it though because he seemed to hate it too.

Lot of over-priced crap.

Janni and Oblomov, that was my point too: the difference between groups, classes, whatever which are basically billed as fun and a social for the parents (all the village-hall ones where the kids roll around on the floor and the mums have a coffee and a chat) - though some of these can be awful snakepits if you're the one mum who stands out from the rest - and the type of things that suggest that paying out for whatever class will put your DC 'ahead' of all the common children whose parents won't fork out "30 quid a pop for toddler algebra.

I don't know many classes which cost £10?

£4 per class is the maximum that I have ever paid. Mum & baby/toddler groups cost £2 a session here anyway, and then you get that initial nervousness (if you are shy, like I can be) of having to approach people. These "classes" can break the ice?

It's a tenner for the likes of Water Babies and Swim Tots

I'll never forget being told dd1 (then 3 years old) had "failed" after a term of swimming classes!

Its obviously wrong to pass or fail!

Didnt realise how expensive water babies was, the classes (just local pool ones) for babies here are £3.50 a session. I don't think thats bad value considering that you both go in to the pool, would cost that anyway?

My baby went under the water (with me) at 3 months and loved it. I was told that as long as they do it before 4 months of age then it isnt scarey. She didnt cry, she giggled and now loves it. Its all do with their personality though, shes a feisty little minx!

Baby College anyone??

No mention of curriculum (or price for that matter - I guess its a case of if you have to ask...) Builds strong neurological pathways though.

£3.50 a session is fine, pamelat. Though the swimming pool near me said it wasn't worthwhile taking kids to classes before they were three. AS they said it - even though they lost out on my money - I believed them.

damn they dont offer babycollege in my area, i would heve attended.expected full powerpoint presentation by lo at end of term

ach well i have found pushymother's only £7 per class.cheap at the price

YANBU - babies do not need formal education in the slightest. I think the classes prey on young mums who think they are needed in order to learn how to interact with their baby - however they should just spend time with other mums and babies. There's enough free stuff out there if you look hard. I was shocked that a friend paid £55 for a 4-part baby massage course when I went on a course run by a HV which cost £1 to cover the price of the massage oil! If you don't know what to do with a baby or anything about their development, there's books out there which you can get from the library for free. The classes imply that your child will be more developed as a result of the class - pure poppycock. The only thing I would pay for is swimming lessons as I'm not that confident in the water.

None of the classes I have been on (although I seem to have avoided the expensive ones) claim to develop or educate our babies?

It was all (including baby yoga, which I appreciate is pink and fluffy) tongue in cheek. Met some great mums

There are almost too many new mums where I live (baby boom) but because of the demand they made the "classes" for people whose babies were born within 2 weeks of one another. Its good to have people on hand who are going through the same thing.

of course babies dont need formal hothousing.mums do need a break and classes are fun

i enjoyed all my classes, kept me sane.
got me out. nice wee respite from being at home

paid for pricey class does not equate to better than freebie at clinic or cheaper class. but if one choses to spend own money going - why not

I got a little hint of how attitudes towards the early years are changing, when my daughter and I were invited to a 'Graduation Party'.

I went along, assuming it was to say well done to some of the staff who'd been doing training courses.

It was for the children who were 'graduating'from nursery. Next they'll be putting them in gowns and mortar boards

bitty scary!graduating from nursery emm no competition then.christ like baby olympics

How sad, Janni. It all sounds a bit American to me.
Re the classes, I just think it's really sad that Mums have to pay to go to a class to learn how to "sing" to their baby/toddler.
As far as baby massage is concerned, I went to an hour long class run by midwives. It was totally free and taught me all I needed to know.
As for a course to learn this?? What a load of crap. Quids in for the organisers though!

To access a lot of the free stuff you have to live in a Sure Start area. I looked into Baby Signing because ds3 was at high risk of SN and I thought it would be a good backup for him (also I always hoped that ds1 would sign and I thought it would be good for me to use signing more and more naturally).

Sure Start ran free Baby Signing, but I lived in the wrong area. So I was left with a choice of learning Makaton at home (over £100), paying a Makaton tutor (none locally) or paying for Baby Signing. The paid classes were at a time I couldn't make so I didn't go- I could have made the Sure Start ones- but I needed to live about 3 or 4 streets down the road.

Now ds1 is 9 he is starting to sign quite a lot- but I still can't find free signing classes!

I wanted to get out and about a lot with ds1 so we did things like Monkey Music and lots of toddler groups. Met one very good friend through that so worthwhile imo. I didn't want to get out and about with ds2 so we didn't do much except visit friends. With ds3 I didn't have any friends with toddlers, did not want to go to toddler groups but felt that ds3 should see some other children occasionally. The music class we went to was ideal- he got out, saw some other children and I didn't have to try and cultivate friendships or sit by myself in a toddler group .

Classes aren't a "scam", they're a service offered by people for mothers who would like to do something with their children in addition to the usual park / soft play / drinking bad instant coffee in a smelly community centre.

perhaps the issue is with the word "class". I certainly didn't go to any music, singing, movement, baby yoga GROUPS thinking that it would be something that ds would "learn", I went thinking that we might both enjoy it. I met other mums (and yes have been to M&T groups and it was very cliquey and unfriendly and intimidating frankly), ds enjoyed the music or the mess, the different toys and the interaction with other people without being overwhelmed by bigger, more mobile or more exuberant toddlers. We did stuff that I wouldn't do at home because I can't afford to buy 15 different instruments, I don't have the space to set up a messy play table inside and the weather has been rubbish over both summers since ds was born.

I did think that sing and sign peddled more than it it could realistically offer, but we enjoyed the songs, we met nice people who I see still and we didn't go back for the next lot of "classes".

Swimming was brilliant, I wouldn't have had the confidence to handle a young (pfb of course!) in the water without some help. Courses at the local pool are massively oversubscribed and impossible to get onto.

Have NEVER seen a course offered at a tenner, £3.50-5 is the going rate. If a jolly lady is going to bring her guitar and lots of instruments and song books to a venue which she has to hire, and entertain me and my child for 45 minutes, plus give me the opportunity to learn new songs and music to sing at home, that's worth £4 imho.

Those classes sound really contrived. Ugh, horrible.

Meant to add, I don't think toddlers need a full ensemble of instruments to get the musical experience - just a few shakers, tambournes etc (REALLY cheap in ELC and far cheaper than a term's worth of classes), pots and pans to bang. Re art, what's wrong with a few chunky pens and bits of paper? It's all initiative.
Or maybe parent think "Oh they're missing out if they don;t have blah blah blah..." And that's where classes come in, selling the idea. Good marketing, I must admit.

I think you're missing the point Gateau (despite it being stated repeatedly),

Yes I could have got out the saucepans every Friday morning rather than go to monkey music with ds1- but then I wouldn't have met anyone- which was the point of going. We went to Monkey music (and for a group coffee afterwards) and got out the saucepans at another time.

I could have done the same for ds3, but then he wouldn't have seen any other children (which was the point of going to the music class). It was £3 a session btw- rather than £10. As I didn't want to go to a toddler group and I had no particular wish to socialise with other mum's of toddlers when I had ds3 the alternative would have been to put him in nursery.

We did baby swimming with ds1 as well. Most of the antenatal group went- it was a sociable afternoon. And the babies did learn to hold their breath underwater and head for the side which was an added bonus.

I don't see much evidence for people attending the classes being there to advance their child. They're usually there to socialise (or in my case with ds3 avoid having to socialise).

I'm not missing the point. I just don't SEE the point of classes, whatever your justification.
And you're missing MY point despite tedious repetition; it's some of the swimming classes that cost a tenner. Total rip-off.
But horses for courses, eh!