I live rurally. There is a little toddler grp a couple of miles from my house that i have been going to since i moved here.
There is a woman there at the mo, she is local, has been all her life and she has completely taken over. As a result of her bossiness no one now attends except her 2 pals. No one else feels welcome. She'll do things like take out stuff for an activity SHE has arranged but then if one of the kids wants something from the toy cupboard she'll make it clear that its not on. Its her way or the high way.
It has put lots of mums off. For a lot of us toddler is a place where we relax and chat to other mums, the kids play with toys that are new to them and socialize with other kids. Thats it. No big need for the pressure of organised activities for the mums or for kids who maybe prefer the cars to the paints etc.
It has now been the case that it is this women plus her 2 pals at toddler no one else and when the rest of the community meet else where we talk about how awful the toddler grp is.
I don't know if it is better to just agree with other mums that we should go and just do our own thing and put up with this womens huffs or confront her and say she is making people feel not welcome. She is a PITA and very bossy and bitchy but weirdly i don't find her intimidating at all, i am one of the few who go sometimes and i just do my own thing. I live here too!
What would you do?? Losing this grp would be awful as it has been a life line for many.