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Original poster

what groups do you go to?

45 replies

fredtbad · 09/02/2005 16:42

We have done tumbletots, but until ds starts walking the classes for ds and dd are too close together for them to have lunch.
dd goes to a dance class on saturdays and we do playgroup on wednesdays mornings and monday afternoons.
I've heard of piccolo, anyone know about this one. What else do you go to?
they have better social lives than me

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Hulababy · 09/02/2005 22:17

I did Tumble Tots with DD between the ages of 6-18 months. It used to cost me £3.50 a week, if I paid termly (think it was £4 paid weekly).

Also when that age we did a swimming mums * tots class weekly.

She's nearly 3 now and we do Gymboree. We do a weekly Play session (works out at about £7.40 for a 45 minutes session, but there is an hour's open play every day which DD can go to). We also have had 6 free Music sessions too.

We also somtimes go to the central library story time - includes singing, story reading, playing and an arty type activity - and is free

We have also joined a Virgin gym this new year, and DD is also a member. We go swimming most Saturday and Sunday mornings togteher.

wordsmith · 09/02/2005 22:20

I went to postnatal group when DS1 was a baby and met lots of mums there I am still good friends with 5 yrs later.

Did go to toddlers with DS1 but he never liked it and I found the competitive mums irritating (sorry. but it's true)

Don't do anything with DS2 but he does to day nursery 2 days a week so he does socialise with other kids his age (10 months). However I am giving another, smaller, toddler group a try after half term.

Soupdragon - like your coment about neglected second child. So true. I feel I should do something so he'll have the wide circle of friends his brother has, but don't feel the need for group socialising myself, as I did with DS1.

Lonelymum · 10/02/2005 10:27

Well, it is up to you Surfermum, but I don't think she will not be musical or her musicality will be stunted if she doesn't go to a music group. It is very trendy these days to go to all these groups but I think it is far more important to a child to be able to sit in peace and quiet (not competing all the time with other toddlers - they can have that at playgroup) and do their own thing, whatever that may be. I am aware I am not very trendy saying that, but who cares?

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Lonelymum · 10/02/2005 10:27

Regular visits to the park may well be as good as Tumbletots

snafu · 10/02/2005 10:36

Competing all the time with other toddlers? It's 45 minutes once a week!

lunavix · 10/02/2005 10:38

We go to a 'young mums' baby group on a tuesday morning and a friday afternoon, monkey music wednesday lunchtimeish, and baby swimming classes thursday lunchtimeish! (although dp does that with ds, I'm not much of a swimmer!)

tbh if there was more locally I'd probably do that too! Tumbletots (the baby one, ds is nearly 10 months) is too far away as I don't drive, there's no baby signing locally or gymboree or anything.

I love getting out the house, and I love ds interacting with the other kids. The mums group is definately more for me, although he plays 'near' the other babies! I like a good chat, we're all friends, I work with one of them too.

The music and swimming is for his benefit, they're only 30 minute classes although they do wear him out a little. The other parents are v. unfriendly though so it isn't for my benefit at all! Plus it's a 4 mile round walk to get to the music one!

I'd love to do more with him, crazy as that sounds, but like I said there's very little locally.

Lonelymum · 10/02/2005 10:42

Not if you are a mum going to groups every day as some people I know do. Literally every morning is taken up with something (often lasting a couple of hours) and then in the pm the child is napping.

PicadillyCircus · 10/02/2005 10:57

Lonelymum I think I agree with you.

DS doesn't go to any things like tumletots etc - he does go to nursery 7 days a fortnight so gets enough things there, plus when I'm not working we both need some time and space.

I meet up with other mums every other Friday afternoon (ie when I'm not working)and go to Open House (NCT thing) every other Tuesday morning but that is it.

When I was on maternity leave I went to more mums and babies groups but have never done any "organised" things.

At the moment, I can't do them anyway as there is no day when I'm always not working.

And I never did them and I think I'm OK

But I am probably just trying to make myself feel better.

WideWebWitch · 10/02/2005 10:59

Oh I'm interested to read this, dd hasn't been to ANYTHING, wondering whether I ought to so interested to read what people think.

snafu · 10/02/2005 11:02

Bu that's just the thing, ds doesn't go to nursery or anything like that, so to get out and about and have ds mix with other children we have to 'do things'. And I am useless at the 'coffee and smalltalk' thing - find it excruciating - so something more structured is perfect.

But only a couple of times a week - the rest of it I promise is mummmy-and-ds interaction and lots of time in the park

lunavix · 10/02/2005 11:04

That's it for me too, a lot of other children we know go to nursery and the older ones go to preschool, if he was doing that I don't think I'd worry as much. But until he has a brother or sister, I'd like him to interact more.

Lonelymum · 10/02/2005 11:12

snafu, do whatever please you. I don't know how old your child is, but my ds3 is 2 next week and goes to absolutely nothing, but then he has three siblings to play and interact with when they are home from school. I personally don't think he needs to go anywhere for his development (he will go to playgrop/nursery when he is older) and I personally can't stand the social small talk scene.

tarantula · 10/02/2005 11:23

DD goes to storytime in the libarary if dp gets ready on time (and I remember to remind him) and goes to the park most days and thats about it. During the summer shell get out and about more but Dp refuses to do toddler groups and we aint got the money for much else. They are all so expensive too esp if you are on a tight budget.

eidsvold · 10/02/2005 12:22

swimming lesson mon, playgrtoup wed - therapy tues and fri.... every week mother and toddler group fortnightly

MistressMary · 10/02/2005 12:25

Jo Jingles once a week.
Mums and Toddlers once a week.
Soft play centre once a week.
Reading for under 4 's at the library once a week.

HappyMumof2 · 10/02/2005 16:17

Message withdrawn

WestCountryLass · 10/02/2005 19:50

I personally think groups and activities are fine for some mums like myself; we have no family nearby and DH works away a lot, plus I am not very good at doing activities in the home, so by going to something organised I get some adult conversation and DS does something more stimulating than I can offer on a 24/7/365 basis.

That being said I also thinks kids benefit from down time, just to chill and to use their imagination so we never plan anything of an afternoon or the weekends so taht DS can recharge his batteries for what is a very full week ahead.

Hulababy · 10/02/2005 20:52

DD doesn't go to an activity classes to "compete" with other toddlers. We do it because she likes it, and I like the fact that we have something organised and arranged to do regardless of week, weather, etc.

DD also goes to nursery 2 full days a week (8am - 5pm) qhen I work. Again, not competing at all. Just playing, socialising, learning to interact, and having fun

Hulababy · 10/02/2005 20:54

I have to say though that I have not found any of the activity classes a way of meeting other mums. We say hi and pass the odd comment, but no friendships/proper conversations are taken up generally. Those that are friendly, I have found already know/knew each other outside the classes.

bubble99 · 11/02/2005 23:20

As with most things it seemes important to find the right balance. Some children in my DS2's reception class seem to be doing some kind of after school and weekend class almost every day of the week - ballet, music, language ,tennis etc. Poor little things look knackered most of the time IMO.
On the other hand there are some who never seem to do anything, that is down to parental choice and I know everyone's financial circumstances are different, but a swim in the local pool doesn't break anyone's bank.
There was a programme on a while ago about 'gifted children.' It featured a four year old girl who could do maths, speak French and German (parents spoke English only) play the violin and a whole load of other things at a level well beyond her years. She had obviously been actively coached and encouraged by her parents who were very proud of her abilities. What was really sad though was when, during the programme, she was visited by an educational psychologist. The psychologist asked her to make up a story of her own and produced some hand puppets as cues - the child could not do it, she had no ability to use her own imagination and this was deemed to be as a direct result of 'hothousing.'
As an adult, if I returned home, tired, from work (when I used to work) to find someone saying "OK, off we go to gym /ballet/tennis/music class now" I would be mightily p**d off.

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