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Lone parents

Use our Single Parent forum to speak to other parents raising a child alone.

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Original poster

Lone Parent weekend club

26 replies

Ivykaty44 · 18/01/2009 15:40

Would you visit a lone parent weekend club?

If you had a club in your area where you could go on a Sunday afternoon with or without your dc would you use it?

What would you want the club to offer? Walks to the park with the dc? Tea coffee and a chat with other lone parents? A play area for younger children? Trips to the cinema/theatre/swimming pool?

Would you pay - say a £ each visit to cover costs of hiring a hall etc, would you pay a subscription and then be happy to know you would get a discount on theatre trips etc because it is being booked as a group?

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DDofaToxicMother · 18/01/2009 15:56

I would be more likely to go if it was in the morning or during the week. But yes the idea is a good one.

Original poster

Ivykaty44 · 18/01/2009 16:43

Would anyone use this type of club?

I had thought in the week there are other activities going on - mums and toddlers or mums and baby groups or people are working or their children are at school, so had thought the weekend maybe better - when all the couples and families are together.

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MeNmyGirl · 18/01/2009 19:11

Hi yeah that sounds good id go to that kinda group with dd...do you mind me asking why your askin?

MollieO · 18/01/2009 20:26

I think it would depend on when and what. Certainly weekends are a good idea as that tends to be the time when everyone else has plans.

notevenamousie · 18/01/2009 20:32

Yes, definitely. I have found some weekend friends (who have DHs that work) but am often on my own (tho not too bothered by it) and would be up for all the things you mention - if you're thinking of planning something, go for it!

ChasingSquirrels · 18/01/2009 20:40

I would probably try it out, whether I would use it long term would depend on finding people I clicked with - which I guess would depend on numbers.
Sounds like a good idea though.

TheWheelsOnTheBusHaveFallenOff · 18/01/2009 20:42

I would try something like this! No problem finding activities during the week with other mothers and toddlers but weekends, if nothing organised or friends not around, can be very loooong and also hard work going to busy swimming pools, museums etc with a small child and just the one pair of hands when they are full of older children.

Having a group of lone parents with either space to play or organised outings where you can all help out with children together would be great. Are you thinking of doing something?

Original poster

Ivykaty44 · 18/01/2009 21:42

I was thinking about doing something - but not sure what?

Thing is getting somewhere to hold such a regular event that will possibly not charge for a few weeks or be free, as I havn't the money to fund it....

As chasing squirles says she would try it out but it would depend on who was there, this is the problem as if at first numbers are low people may not come back - tis a bit of a catch 22..

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ChasingSquirrels · 18/01/2009 22:25

where would you advertise?
Maybe you could start off with meet-ups in places, either walks (free) or, umm, umm, soft-play (blergh), bowling etc where people will pay for their own entry so you don't have the outlay cost.
Or approach your local village hall / community centre to see if they would give you free hire for a month to see if it kicked off (though in reality I think you would need a much longer initial period in order to get it known).
Maybe your local gingerbread could help, or surestart, or hv.

cantpickyourfamily · 19/01/2009 19:05

I would be interested as it is true everyone spends the weekends with their families and my family is only dd and me...

Only thing is I have been to normal baby groups before but didn't keep it up as did not really click with anyone there.....

pinkdiamonds4me · 19/01/2009 21:22

oh yes would defo go to these groups i get so bored at the weekends as everyone else is busy. good idea

ChasingSquirrels · 19/01/2009 21:29

IvyKate - what area are you?

Original poster

Ivykaty44 · 20/01/2009 18:57

Sorry this got stuffed down the bottom - I am here. I am still not sure whether it would work or not.

Did think about asking the church (as they have a great side room) - but am not churchy and then people may think the group is conected with the church and so then not come?

Shall give it some more thought, any more ideas from anyone please add on.

Local gingerbread - isn't that local I have a feeling it is about 10 miles away. Sure start is in the next town could give them ago...

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ChasingSquirrels · 20/01/2009 19:01

if the local gingerbread isn't local then they may well be interested in helping, definately try surestart.
Church, umm, I am an athiest and I would probably still go to this if held in a church, but not as a church activity - if you see the difference.
I have been to a couple of groups held at churches (local M&T and HV new mum coffee morning), neither were church related, just held in their church halls.

Also depends what kind of age group you are appealing to, or to all?

EG new/toddler mums will be able to sit round and have a coffee & chat with the children there. Parents of older children won't (mine are 6 and nearly 3, unless there was organised activity for the children I wouldn't be doing much coffee & chat in this situation).
Hence why I suggested other activities.

curlygal · 20/01/2009 19:09

One of my "start up your own business" fantasies is setting up a parents club, hadn't thought of making it a single parents club (mind you I do get the impression that I may be the only single parent in my local area

I imagined somehow (this is a fantasy afterall) having nice premises and making it like a members club, so people who wanted to use it would pay a membership fee, there would be games to play, snacks and drinks, possibly soft play, possibly occassional tv time, there would be dvd's and books to borrow etc etc. Plus organised activities and trips.

Perhaps this economic climate is not the best time for this though.

Have you thought about advertising for other singel parents to contact you - eg set up a specific hotmail address then if get much response you could organise somethng?

N1 · 21/01/2009 03:15

I might use the club. Sunday afternoon isn't a good time. Parents tend to hand children over on Sunday afternoon/evenings.

nappyaddict · 22/01/2009 17:12

Weekends wouldn't be good for a lot of single mums cos that's when their kids go to their dad's house.

Original poster

Ivykaty44 · 22/01/2009 21:44

Sorry I wasn't thinking of it being a club just for single mums - but for dads aswell, so they would have their children on a Sunday afternoon maybe and want to go and meet other single parents aswell.

Also the fact that you dont actually have to take your dc, but could go and meet others who don't have their children either.

It was for all single parents and regardless of whether you had the children or not.

Do people think it would be better if it was just one of the sexes? I think it would be a shame to discount people of they were male or if they didn't have the children on a particular weekend.

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UnfortunatelyMe · 22/01/2009 21:45

You know i was thinking about this earlier. Will return to thread later

nappyaddict · 23/01/2009 10:53

I know you meant it to be for both mums and dads but what I'm saying is a lot of single mums wouldn't be able to take their children if the meetings were only at weekends because they would be at their dads. Would make sense to me to have both a weekday meeting (perhaps from 3pm to 6pm so those with under 5s could come earlier on if they wanted and leave to get them to bed on time and schoolies could still come aswell later on) and a weekend meeting so no one has to miss out.

VinegarTits · 23/01/2009 10:59

What about single parents who work FT? weekdays would be no good for them

nappyaddict · 23/01/2009 10:59

Hence having a weekday meeting and a weekend meeting ...

Original poster

Ivykaty44 · 23/01/2009 14:25

Would people really come on a week night after school. TBH I would have thought parents would be getting home, cooking tea and then sorting homework. Would they really be needing or wanting a club at this time of day?

I think really I could cope with once a week but would find it difficult to stretch to twice.

Do you think woman wouldn't come to the club if they didn't have their children? I had thought it would be fine for any one to come who was a single parent, not only if they had their kids with them.

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nappyaddict · 23/01/2009 15:23

I've been to meet ups at the local indoor play centre. We usually start them at 3pm and then those with school age kids come straight from school so depending on how near they are usually get there about 3:30-4.#

I have to say I probably wouldn't go if I didn't have the kids.

Original poster

Ivykaty44 · 23/01/2009 15:25

I dont think I would go to a play area if I didn't have the kids either - but thats a good idea for a venue - ta

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