Tuesday 11 October 2011

Baby and toddler groups

Opinion among mums seems to be divided on baby and toddler groups. Some people love them and others can't see the point. I've just got back from my local one, and I have to say that it's brilliant. It costs £1, for that I get a drink, Harry gets as many biscuits as he can eat, and he gets two rooms full of toys that we don't have at home. It gets us all out of the house for a couple of hours and fills a morning. I get to talk to other grown ups and he gets to learn how to share (or not) with little ones of all ages.

Of course there are some things to avoid. I never ask anyone how well their baby sleeps, and I change the subject if someone asks me. There are also many other topics best left alone - toddler eating habits, potty training, bedtime battles. But it's nice to talk to other people about what they've been up to or local places to visit.

Although I've made some lovely friends, to be honest I don't really go for the conversation. I'm quite happy to sit on my own in the corner. The main reason I go is to give Harry (and now Mia) something different to do other than sitting around the house. And it's also a way for him to play with ride-on toys, play kitchens, ball pits and slides, without them cluttering up our house! Some people find that other mums can be cliquey, but at least you know that you've always got your child to talk to!

If you live locally (Worthing) and are interested in visiting a really friendly local group, get in touch!

Child playing with a dry pasta table

2 comments:

  1. I love playgroups, for the same reason as you, it gets us out of the house and the girls get lots of new things to play with! I do talk to the other mums (grandmothers, childminders), but mainly I go for Laura and Emily's sakes.

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  2. I'm all about the baby groups, which surprised me as I'm usually a lot younger than just about everyone else there - bar the kids, of course. For me it's saved my sanity by getting me out of the house on a regular basis so I'm not spending the whole day just changing nappies and feeding but actually get a walk and a conversation too!

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