Why are they no baby or toddler groups on a weekend?

[Acidrain]

Just a little moan really, my DS is 16 months and can't find a baby group for a weekend. We go swimming at turtle tots on a Friday but can't find any classes or groups on a Saturday and Sunday?

I work Monday - Thursday and would like to make some friends with babies but these are unheard of in my area!
Dance classes and stage school they have to be walking or 2 which he isn't either!!

Have a party and invite DS's friends from nursery. It's a long wait for his birthday, but maybe an Easter get together? Tea and cake for the parents some kind of Easter hunt for the children (maybe not chocolate because of allergies/they're too small etc) but could hide plastic eggs or teddies?

Give invitations to the staff to handout. As they don't know you, they won't feel any pressure to come....anyone who turns up presumably also at a loose end on a Saturday morning!

And if you don't like any of them...you don't have to see them again.

They are misty run by volunteers. Why don't you start one up OP? You could find a church hall which are usually very cheap to hire.

Will the nursery do a Mothers Day tea? It's really worth going to that if they do, I met 2 other mums at my DS's nursery and we started catching up on our non working days.

We have some local playgroups on a Saturday, and I tried them when I was working full time and wed just moved to the area, but they're normally quite unpleasant compared with weekday ones full of:

• Parents who are knackered (or in a few cases hungover) and using it as a way to park their kid with little supervision
• Dads (usually) who perhaps aren't around often or aren't looking to make friends so don't bother to make sure kids take turns, so let their kid use the only working mini car/swing etc while all the others wait and wait and then cry

Older kids get brought along and run amok

Swimming classes and sports classes are often on, but like a pp said, lots of dads and not so many chances to meet people.

See if any churches near you run messy church sessions? They combine craft and play activities with a meal together. Obviously there is a bit of a talk and prayers at the end but you don't have to be s believer, it's more a community group.

I get you OP; as much as the explanations here are bang on it still irks me a bit.

I’m contracted for 4 days a week but feel totally out of the loop as there is also fuck all round here on a Friday bar one massive playgroup that’s just completely overwhelming and burns myself and the children out afterwards.

If I could just have Friday with the children pottering then do a “group” on Saturday I’d feel so much better about their time with me plus I might actually have some mum friends.

Around us there are loads of groups at weekends for school age kids as they can't go in the week, so the preschool activities are all Monday to Friday.

NuffSaidSam
Love that idea, will keep that in mind!

TreesoftheField
Yes we've been to one a few months ago but they are not very regular around here, once every few months!

Thanks for all the ideas on here, will speak to my local groups to see if they would let me hold one on a Saturday morning, it would be a great way for me to get involved and meet people whilst my DS is happy playing away!

Because those groups either run by volunteers or businesses usually run by parents with older kids so they want to be with their families at the weekend which takes priority over working parents making friends

PaulHollywoodsSexGut
Totally get why it irks you, maybe you should should set up a group local to you as well!

Because those groups either run by volunteers or businesses usually run by parents with older kids so they want to be with their families at the weekend which takes priority over working parents making friends

Totally understand this but surely there is other working mums who would love a Saturday group to meet other people who also work through the week or for parents who's partners work weekends.

Surely if you work full time and have a baby you would have to be flipping superwoman to also run a playgroup at the weekend .

Yeah you would have to be a superwoman so that's probably why there is none!

I suppose it's a choice I've made to go back to work, so lack of playgroups is the downside of that!