Failed our steiner toddler group

[Orangeflower7]

I was looking for a smaller more relaxed kind of toddler group for my ds (2.5). Got a bit fed up with the big busy groups lots of ride ons etc..so tried the steiner group. Just met one of the mums from it today who is 'sad it didn't work out for me' and am feeling a bit of a failure.

I'll explain a bit. It went on for ages and we all had to sit round the table and make a woolen spider which to be honest the children were to young to do- ds got frustrated and threw it away. It seemed that it was for the mums really, (craft) I found it stressful as I had to help make the activity so much whereas ds wanted to go play, and there was no choice of activity, all the mums were sat doing the craft activity so the children who were playing didn't have much input really.

The routine was like this (over 2 hrs) Craft-then (adults make snack which children couldn't eat just yet) -singing-then wash hands (line up) then-sit up and eat snack- then story.

I just found it too much direction and sitting down stuff for a 2 year old..although the (mostly little girls) other children seemed very obedient

It is a shame as it would have been a nice change...didn't find it very child centred though. Please tell me it's not just my ds is it, I do know a little about early years and the emphasis is a lot on play, (adult led and child initiated, choice and independence, how does that sit then with steiner?

So back to the big groups we go.

Aaaaw Catinthehat.....that's cute :o !

Are you some kind of psychic?!

My DD's have never sat quietly for anything

(except telly and chocolate cake)

We never attempted the Steiner group experience

Catinthehat- Thanks! That's funny and cheered me up. Bless you xx

some MNers think I'm a psychopath I'm pretty sure, so, yes, nearly

Steiner doesn't really do creativity - have you seen their children's paintings? All of them exactly identical, 20 paintings of a rainbow over and over again...

i go to church playgroup. it is great. we drink tea. the children play with plastic tat.

sometimes they hit each other, and we tell them off.

then we drink more tea, and get them to sit down and eat biscuits. or run around and eat biscuits - whichever way, with a biscuit in hand it's one hand fewer to get into trouble with.

then we go home thankful that our child/chldren were not particuarly naughty that week, and feeling sufficiently virtuous to plonk them in front of cbeebies for the rest of the afternoon. Job done.

But Rita- this mum was saying her child was going to the steiner school because it is more creative than the local state school..it's so uncreative though weird.

I'm just hanging around now, waiting for a pro-steinerite to come along, do they exist?

Did you have to pay for it? If I did I'd be asking for a refund. Or at least telling them why I thought it wasn't for us.

Don't get upset. You go to these things for your children's benefit. You didn't let him down, you just need to find a big park!

Free rein to create - go outside with a load of paint and paper and be prepared for a good half hour of cleaning up the mess. And take pics of the fun while it lasts

Eggy- sounds good. Think need to just get on with it a bit and forget fantasising about some kind of ideal playgroup scenario...would love it if they'd hide the rideones sccasionally though just for a change, but that's my problem!

Oh it's all just lifestyle bollocks all this creativity nonsense attached to Steiner.

Your friend might change her mind once she realises she will have to clean the classrooms

beloved i think i am a little bit in love with you.... i grew up on the sofa watching ITV lol but had friends who were shocked when i wasn't putting ds into a montessori but rather a army organised playgroup.....

How the hell will i ever find out if he's going to be the next Buddha, or win a nobel peace prize if i leave him to the evil Smoby riddled hall of doom....

sorry typos, a bit shattered.

google alerts offline for a few minutes perhaps?

Turn the situation head.

The group failed YOU by being barmy by not providing adequate stimulation and activity for you and your child.

whispers shame-facedly

What is Steiner??? (Scared...)

i used to fear the 'ride-on bumper cars' thing. a year or two on, DD seems to have learned that it is not funny to try and sit on the same one as another child....

I give it another 13 minutes...

[blows kisses at bin]

Was it expensive? The one here is £7 a session

god they love those freaking cars. hours of fun, open the door, get in, close door, open door get out and repeat FOREVER

i will add that playgroups generally are crap, but with a lot of persistance, you can get to know the other mums, socialise your child, and learn a bit about what you can do with your kids in the area..if you are lucky, maybe even make some friends.

I am glad I am not the only one who finds the ride-ons stressful.

Ds is only 18 months but tries to "take on" kids double his size by puffing out his chest and shouting "CAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAR!!!" at them.

He never wins but he hasn't learned yet.

I would avoid any group that described an unruly child as a "black soul".

Get him back running around the ride ons and worry about creativity later. Let him enjoy life and be free to choose what he wants to do to keep him amused within safe boundaries.

And don't beat yourself up about it. My DS would have been exactly the same.

eggy I do that, but I run the damn group, so am in charge of making sure there are enough biscuits about to ensure the little psychopaths darlings are doing minimum damage to themselves, their peers, the Walls:o

My son is one of the darlings. Obviously. As long as nobody tries to play with the kitchen first >_