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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to think Rhyme Time sessions are a bit twee?

30 replies

juneybean · 27/01/2009 21:15

Seriously I went to my first today and was a bit at how utterly quaint it was.

I understand the point of baby groups is to give the mums a social outlet, but really the mothers at this group didn't speak to each other at all.

But I didn't feel welcomed at all, I sat down and wasn't even offered a song sheet so had no idea what I was supposed to be doing.

I'm fairly extrovert so it wasn't an issue for me but for some women who are quite shy would probably be put off.

The librarian taking the session seemed to concentrate one child instead of giving each child attention.

Yeah I probably am being a bit unreasonable...but meh...

OP posts:
SmallShips · 27/01/2009 21:21

YANBU

I never enjoyed rhyme time, took DS when he was a baby, he sat there and chewed a rattle, whilst i cringed. The mums didn't speak to each other at our one either.

TotalChaos · 27/01/2009 21:22

I really don't think Rhyme Time is meant to benefit mums - I think it's there to benefit the children by encouraging language development etc.

MissisBoot · 27/01/2009 21:22

I went to one and never returned. Bloody awful.

MissisBoot · 27/01/2009 21:23

DD did love it though!

Surfermum · 27/01/2009 21:24

I enjoyed the one we went to, mostly because the library always had free filter coffee coffee on the go and biscuits. I hated the singing bit though .

Original poster
juneybean · 27/01/2009 21:25

i was offered no coffee or biscuits!!!

OP posts:
ilovetochat · 27/01/2009 21:26

dd goes to a rhyme time in the library and also tuned in tots at the local childrens centre, she loves it, knows all the actions, plays with the other kids and i chat to the other moms. infact we are all going out together soon to a soft play.
its for the kids but the adults get to meet and chat.
yabu sorry.

hazeyjane · 27/01/2009 21:26

I think it depends on who is doing it, the lady that does Rhyme Time at our local library is great, and dd's love it. We went to one in another town, and it was awful, the lady doing it seemed really embarrassed and was so quiet it was difficult to hear what she was singing.

Because it is quite short and focuses on singing, there isn't much of a chance for the mums to chat, but toddler/play groups are better for that.

GrimbleTheResourceful · 27/01/2009 21:31

I went once,2 weeks ago.

DS would not sit with me, he just systematically pulled the DVDs off a nearby shelf, one by one, bellowing the "Tractor Tom" theme tune at the top of his voice. (If it could only have been books he was trashing).

I sat, alone, singing "Two Little Dickybirds", and taking turns with well-behaved toddlers to lift the flaps in a Spot book.

I shan't go again.

dangfando · 27/01/2009 21:55

Ours is awful. The woman running it comes in, doesn't introduce herself or anything. Just starts singing nursery rhymes. Then stops, hands out colouring in sheets, dumps a box of crayons and legs it. Leaving a scrum of toddlers fighting over the crayons. Not a coffee in sight either. I only go to catch up with a coffee with my friends after. Hmm, maybe a should pass on RT and just head for the coffee .

Surfermum · 27/01/2009 22:01

ROFL @ Grimble.

Linnet · 27/01/2009 22:23

My local rhyme time session is brilliant. It's so busy that you have to book a place in advance or else you don't get in. Everyone gets a song sheet and the librarian always leaves some at the side for people who may arrive slightly late.

Lots of the mums have been going since their babies were really tiny and often meet up afterwards for coffee or lunch.
There are some mums who talk to each other instead of singing along with their child or doing the actions, which isn't what it's about. It can be off putting for the librarian leading the session and other mums there plus the point is the parent is supposed to be interacting with the child and doing the actions and songs together.

I also think a lot of it depends on the age of the child. My local library has two sessions, one for babies up to 18 months and one for 18 months to 3 years. The 18 months to 3 years session I find is more fun as the children are more interactive and are able to do the actions.

Could you try a different session somewhere else? or at a different time maybe? They really are good fun and a good way to meet people. Don't write it off immediately give it another try it might get better, maybe all the other mums were shy.

rookiemater · 27/01/2009 22:43

Depends who is running it. First few times I went it was the area coordinator. he was utterly fab, did loads of things with puppets and really threw himself into it. The kids were entranced.

Went about a year ago, realised DS was far too old. Session was taken by one of the librarians, a lovely self effacing middle aged woman who seemed embarassed about the whole thing. Children were bored, Mums and Dads were embarassed and the whole thing fell flat on its face.

Just chalk it up to experience. So glad I only signed up to one Jo Jingles session, both DS and I hated it and left half way through to go for a milkshake instead.

Technofairy · 27/01/2009 23:02

You are so NBU

The more I read about all these new fangled things for babies and toddlers (excuses to make money out of parents) the more grateful I am that they just weren't there when my DS was small. They sound like torture to me.

We had a Mum's & Toddlers group once a week and then Playgroup when he was older. No Rhyme Time, no baby gym sessions, signing lessons, French for babies, yoga for babies or anything like that - and no 'playdates' either. What a naff, cringeworthy phrase that is. Sets my teeth right on edge. He had friends round after school and vice versa but 'playdates'? Yuk.

DS is a balanced, confident, well educated 21 year old enjoying Uni. He works part time, has his own car and plays in a a band. I don't think that the lack of these opportunities did him any harm at all. If you enjoy it then go, but if you don't please don't stress that you're somehow letting down your child. These things weren't available when we were little and I don't think it did us any harm did it?

TeenyTinyToria · 27/01/2009 23:18

My local rhyme time is great. Ds doesn't always sit with me, but he sings along and does the actions to a lot of the songs, roams around, goes to the front and dances with the leader (show off alert ) and generally has fun.

I talk to a few other mums and grans there, and I vastly prefer it to awful toddler groups.

elkiedee · 27/01/2009 23:44

You're probably not being unreasonable if your local group doesn't work for you. It's just a shame that that's the case. DS goes to things here which aren't under the name Rhyme Time but have sing songs as a part of the session, not the whole. At one of my favourite baby groups, we had songs every week but there was time to talk and play with the babies too.

Give that group a miss and try others - there will be ones which you find more fun, I expect.

Gateau · 28/01/2009 08:41

I TOTALLY agree OP.
See the other thread in AIBU about the toddler swimming classes which turns into a debate about classes for babies and toddlers in general.
I say the same thing here as I said there. Classes for young children are a pile of overpriced twaddle. I'm gobsmacked that so many apparently intelligent parents are suncked intot he notion that these classes are essential for their children's wellbeing/education whatever...
Totally agree with Technofairy (haven't read all the posts on here) but got flamed on the thread for saying moreorless the same thing.

redskyatnight · 28/01/2009 12:36

I take my DD to our library storytime regularly. The lady who runs it is fantastic (always greets DD by name and asks how she is) and makes a real effort to interact with the children. It's a small library so 10 children is a busy session and you see the same faces over and over. I could see they could quite easily be awful though.

I wouldn't pay for it (agree paying for this sort of thing is rubbish) but I take DD because she enjoys it, gets to meet up with friends (and is content to go round Tesco later with me ).

epithet · 28/01/2009 12:40

Well, ours was pretty amateur. Two librarians looking at each other and cringing before each song. No coffee or owt. Not even colouring, and it was over in 15 mins rather than the advertised 30.

But it was free, organised by the library, who can barely afford to stay open, let alone provide refreshments, so I didn't really care. It got us out of the house, which was good for me, and the dds enjoyed it.

justneedsomesleep · 28/01/2009 14:42

Ours has juice/water and biscuits at the end, and I think it's at that point where the mums are supposed to get to know each other. The first part (the singing) is for the babies/children. We have song books placed on the chair and sometimes the librarian asks if there are new people. other one we go to has the words printed up on the wall.
So i suppose it depends on the set up, and whether you make the effort ot talk to people at the end or rush away...

Mimia · 28/01/2009 16:26

Rhymetime and Storytime are free at our local library and our local children's librarian is really fantastic with the children. We make it part of our weekly library visit. I don't think you are being unreasonable is your particular one didn't work for you, but I do think it is unreasonable to equate a Rhymetime or Storytime session in a local library with a "Teach your 6 month old Cantonese in five easy steps" for £70 a term.

lavenderbongo · 28/01/2009 16:33

I run a Rhyme time type thing. It free and I thoroughly enjoy doing it. It is twee but then its aimed at babies and toddlers.
I set it up because there wasnt one in the area we moved to and dd1 loved it so i wanted dd2 to have the same opportunity.

Spare a thought for the poor bugger who is organising it. It is daunting getting up and singing in front of loads of strangers and doing silly actions too.

So i think YABU.

sazzerbear · 28/01/2009 16:37

Yes, it is FREE so not much to grumble about, if you don't like it, don't go!! I go to Tumble Tots (which I have to pay for) and the other mums are not very social but it's not really about what I want to do, it's about ds!

CuppaTeaJanice · 28/01/2009 16:37

It can be offputting if they always sing the same songs though.

Ours has Wind the sodding bobbin up. Every bloody week.

Linnet · 28/01/2009 18:21

My local rhyme time has the same songs every week as well, but they do ask regularly if there are any songs that people would like to see on the song sheets. But most of the time nobody suggests anything. Plus it's hard to come up with songs that small children can learn the words to plus do actions to.

Rhyme time is free as it's part of the Bookstart initiative to introduce babies nad toddlers to books/rhymes and songs.