Do you spend much of the summer holidays with other school mums?

[helenmelonmoon]

DD is in reception. I have mums I regularly talk to at school and birthday parties. I’ve done a couple of play dates over half terms at soft play and parks. But I’ve noticed a lot of the mums spend loads of time together. I’ve heard them talking about the summer holidays and their plans. Many have older kids so they’ve known each other a lot longer. I have suggested to a few mums about getting the kids together and I’ve just had casual responses. They all seem to be doing their own thing.
Just wondering what other parents do over the summer? I’m hoping I’m just over thinking it. I feel bad for DD. I’m thinking about sending her to holiday club the odd day so she has some socialisation. I guess I feel a bit lonely too. I moved to the area a few years ago and apart from the school runs I don’t have ‘friends’ here.

It’s tough isn’t it? You’ll probably find those mums either know each other from before having dc or they have older children and have a mum group from that. There’s not much you can do other than offering play dates etc. You could also casually ask on the school WhatsApp what extra curricular stuff their kids do as you’re looking for something for your dd. Often things like football teams and dance mums socialise outside of school together

If the weather is good, suggest ask a wide group (class WhatsApp if you have it) if people want to go to the local park. You may find people are at a loose end and will turn up.

I remember this well! It seemed like all the other reception mums had known each other forever, either because they had older kids or they actually grew up together. It felt like their social circles were already complete so they didn’t need anyone else.
DH and I both worked full time so DD went to holiday club quite a bit over the summer hols, we also visited friends with kids a similar age. She’s 10 now and has a nice group of friends at school and gets invited to plenty of parties etc so those early years aren’t necessarily a reflection of what’s to come

Honestly this hadn't even crossed my mind (my eldest is in reception too) - maybe it hasn't to other parents? I was just planning to visit family to play with cousins (they're dotted around the country) and relax at home, but if someone invited us to do something then we'd probably go!

I always have intentions to meet up with other mums & DS’s friends. We wave each other off on the last day and say ‘let’s do a park/play date’ but suddenly it will be September and it never materialised. Difficult to coordinate everyone’s holidays, work days & everything in between.

Agree though, ‘off to the park if anyone is about’ is the easiest way.

I used to spend a lot of time in the summer holidays with friends and their children . I did however have the same group of friends from DC1’s year group all the way through primary and mostly they all had more than one DC. It didn’t work so well just meeting up with mum’s of DD2’s friends especially if they only had the one child as it meant my eldest being bored.

Just one school mum I would say im friends with. And another I bump into at the park.

I used to wonder why everyone was doing their own thing but then I realised we are too and actually I'm happier not meeting any random parent for the sake of it. I work part-time then there are family trip days, visiting grandparents and seeing a friend from where we used to live. I know that other parents travel to see family for weeks or are working a lot.

If youre really bored and lonely here are some ideas:

• can you just take them to the park, softplay or for a walk to town or a coffee - you might bump into someone often enough to become friends
• are there free or cheap activities at the library etc
• sometimes its better to message individuals not the group - is there a mum you can message about a particular event?

I don't spend any time with other school mums.
May see them by chance but don't arrange anything.
If the children has play dates we drop and run and always reciprocate this.
Life is far too busy.