Is there a school age children equivalent of NCT?

[chicaguapa]

We moved here 5 months ago and I can't believe how hard it is to make friends! Last time I moved I contacted the NCT and started going along to the coffee mornings. But DC are both at school now so have no excuse! I also work part-time for my dad so not meeting anyone that way either.

I've chatted to a few mums at school but I'm not very good at putting myself forward so unless I catch their eye, I feel too shy to just go over and stand next to them like a spare part! I helped out at the PFTA summer fair but was on a stall on my own so didn't get to chat to anyone that way either.

I know it takes time, but I've not known it take quite this long before.

Where are you? There may be some local Mumsnetters?

Or the other place does lots of local stuff...

With school age children it takes time.

Inviting kids to tea speeds things up, but it helps if your children like the children of mums you like the look of. My daughter always seems to like the children of heavily tattooed, smoking, greasy haired mums. Why oh why doesn't she want to be friends with the daughter of the nice TA?

DD has invited 3 girls for tea and only one of the mums speaks to me in the playground, despite having had a lovely long chat with all of them when they've come to pick up from our house. It surprises me as they all know I'm new to the area and actually asked if I've made any friends yet.

DS has been to one friend's for tea and his parents are really friendly. They moved here 18 months ago, so were probably in a similar situation themselves then.

My dad's partner has 3 children that are similar ages to me and live locally. I'm friendly with them, but not one of them has invited us out for drinks, round for a coffee or anything. Maybe people who don't move around just don't realise that new people to the area need to make friends.

We're in Chandlers Ford by the way. We moved to Cockermouth in the Lakes and then to north of Manchester and had no problems making friends in either place. Maybe it IS friendlier in the north.

What about local groups like football or dance or possibly scouts ect all that type of thing gets you talking to parents or is there anything you could do for yourself? as an example my mum joined a darts team which expanded her social circle

And yes it IS friendlier in the north, im a northerner living in essex and also found it quite hard to make new friends but i'm always on the look out and have even gone out with my mum as some of her darts team are my age, it takes time but you will get there eventually, good luck xx