NCT courses online

[kittenpeak]

Hi all.

A real first world problem here...

Got an email from NCT last night saying that our courses from mid January will be online due to Covid.

Whilst I understand the reasons behind this (some of us might be more vulnerable than others, some might need to get public transport etc), I do feel quite disappointed and I'm wondering whether this decision is a bit premature considering they don't start for 2.5 months.

Deep down I don't think things will massively improve (especially as it's very cold in January!) and maybe they're making the changes now rather than doing it last minute.

I stare at a screen all day for work and the thought of doing it for 4 hours on Saturday is 😩😩 I also don't think we will be able to gel with the other parents as much over zoom, and the main reason I did it was to meet other parents!

I'm wondering if anyone else out there has had their NCT course online and what they thought? Do you think you got the full experience , and do you think it's quite early for them to make the change? I totally appreciate this is a first world problem, and if this is the only thing Covid does to me I'll be very lucky, but I was really looking forward to meeting other parents!

Thanks

We did the NCT course via zoom and the sessions were good. I mostly did it to meet new parents too and for my DH to learn more about the practicalities of having a newborn (I've been around a lot of babies but he hasn't). The sessions were very long and whilst it would have felt quick in person it felt quite long on zoom. We have all had our babies now and we still haven't met up so our conversations on WhatsApp are short and mostly small talk style. However, there are a few baby classes in the area that can work within the social distancing guidelines so a few of us have signed up to one of the classes. We'll be able to meet up in person soon now and hopefully build more of a friendship as a result. Perhaps this might be the way around it for you too? It's difficult to meet up with anyone at the moment, let alone potential new friends but it's been nice to have the baby announcements as each little one arrived and to share how the first few weeks are going.

Whilst they are planning far ahead for January's course, I sadly think that the lockdowns will still be in place and at least they can be honest in what they are planning to offer you. We got a discount for it going online too.

I did nct on zoom!
It was slightly awkward at first but I really enjoyed the course.
They set you up on a WhatsApp chat with the course leader who eventually leaves when the course finishes! I've met up with the other ladies (and one baby!!) on it a few times and my partner has gone to the pub with all the dads

We haven't found meeting up difficult as we are still under a 6 but this will change as more babies appear!
I guess it depends on how many cases there are near to you also.

I got the same email about January, wasn't thrilled but doing it in person with masks and distancing doesn't sound ideal either. I think we just have to try drive the whatsapp groups if we want to make friends, and at least we get a discount!

I didn’t do NCT online, mine was in person, but I wanted to say it wasn’t the classes where I bonded with the other parents, it was the WhatsApp group we set up for afterwards. If you main reason for going is social, then don’t let the fact it’s online put you off.