Quick way to make mum friends at school gate?

[Lasvegas]

We are relocating to new area - for school reasons - I have 2 weeks off work to settle DD in school, induct new nanny and unpack. For first 8 days of term ONLY I will be taking/collecting DD to/from school, therafter Nanny will do it. I would like to meet other mums for weekend play dates or just to exchange emails to discuss what we think of the school etc. Maybe even to have a drink in evening without kids! Was pondering inviting some mums with kids in same class to meet up one weekend as a kind of informal open house thing. Is this too pushy? I have total of 8 days to make friends so chit chattting by school gate and waiting to see how things pan out is not really an option. I really welcome your thoughts. Thanks

LV I am in a similar position, DD is starting school and knows nobody going there. I will drop off/pick up x 2 weeks, then our nanny will do it (except I have Fridays).
I think it's a lovely idea to take the initiative in getting to know other parents, but it could be a bit premature to dish out invites just yet; think I will wait and see who DD says her friends are, then try and catch up with their parents at half-term or even Christmas. Otherwise how will you know which parents to contact? (BTW my DD is 4, so if your DD is older maybe she will be clear much sooner about who her friends are).
also DD has a birthday in November, so I am thinking maybe we will have a small party for 8-10 and get to know their parents that way.

Thanks Hovey. Nice to hear from others who don't do school drop/collect. I find it isolating tbh not knowing who DD iteracts with all day. There is a parents evening 6 weeks into term so maybe I will have chance to identify people then.

Not quite the same circumstances as you, but a similar issue; my dd starts y3 in a new school tomorrow. We know nobody ! Most of the girls are bussed in from all over (private school with large catchment). It's going to be harder to make mummy/dd friends than before, so I was thinking of doing a similar thing tbh. Maybe wait and see who dd hooks up with, then have informal brunch or drinks later this month before the weather turns too dire.
I'll probably be picking up dd once a week just to keep in touch with the teacher; I'm hoping other mums will be thinking along similar lines, perhaps, say, Fridays will turn out to be a sociable pickup day.
Good luck !

We invented a reason to have a few of ds's classmates round (mainly to help him settle into new school), and so got to hand out my phone number and meet a few parents that way.
You could call it a 'house-warming' for dd?

what was yr invented reason? did anyone see thro it? did it work?
in sim position so interested.

It might also be worth getting involved with the PTA (if work commitments allow) always a good way to keep an eye on how things are going in the school as a whole and you may meet mums from dd's class too.

bluebear what a good idea. Think I will just come across as a needy refugee from London! and explain that we are moving house on same day as term starts and also DD has to get used to new p/t Nanny and we are new to area. Could we exchange emails/mobiles and plan an informal meet up as DD is on massive learning curve and I would welcom low down on local playgrounds, ballet schools etc. They can only say no can't they!

We had an 'easter' party (since it was before easter hols), with a little mini-egg hunt.

lasvegas - If they do say no then they're not the type you want to exchange emails etc with anyway. - good luck, I'm sure your dd will cope fine.

lasvegas, just wanted to say it is good to see you back - was worried you were gone for good (but can understand why you might have wanted a break at the time!). I used to be katyp by the way.

DD (just gone into Year 5) moved schools last half term. I am there everyday to take and collect and I still know nobody. I waited a few weeks then issued invites to a little tea party for the kids who had been nice to DD and we asked parents for a cuppa saying we knew no one and would like to meet them (on a Saturday). Not knowing anyone, I sent them into school. A week later we had heard nothing. It turned out a lot hadn't even made there way home yet, so I enlisted teacher's help again. In the end, 1 kid came plus Mum. All the others were busy elsewhere, we did have a couple more phone calls but that's it. It's a big school and I have no idea who anyone is.

halloween is coming up - why not throw a halloween party where a parent would be expected to stay with child. It doesnt have to be very expensive but most people love a party and if they dont have to go to the expense of getting a present. ( have some friends who turn down invites from parents they dont know for kids bdays because dont want to but presents) you may find you get reasonable turnout.

magicfaraway tree (love your name,it was my fave book as a kid) what a great idea. I could enlist the help of the teacher,it is a small, private school, I think only 15 in DD class. There is a noticeboard that parents can us. I will put up a notice suggesting a get together and see if I get any takers.

Sylvm - what a shame a least you tried though, so you have that satisfaction.

Kteepee - thanks.

I di the Macmillan Cancer Care coffee morning last year here - and gave out invites to as many Mums as I could see at DS1's nursery. It was a lovely morning and raised a bit of money and I certainly got to know some other Mums!

stick a poster up on classroom door/window saying 'new term meal out. Sign up here.'
We did that and had a lovely night out, as even though our kids had been at school for a year, at least half the mums didn't know each other.

sorry, meant to add, everybody was congratulating the mum who took the initiative and organised it, as we had all thought about it but were too 'shy' to do it

Ooh Halloween party, how cool would that make your DD? Go for it! (Hmmmmm, black food colouring )