So here I am still in the hospital for PND (yada yada yada yawn). Anyway one of the warning signs for my husband that my depression had got pretty bad was my non existent social life. Now normally I am not a big fan of spending huge chunks of time on my own. There are too many pixies that occupy my mind and can set to work with their crazy ideas if I’m left alone for too long. So I tend to be pretty proactive with setting up social arrangements to meet with other mums and do stuff or just hang out over coffee.
However since Super Kid started school and Robo Boy started preschool I’m much more tied to doing my socialising in my local area. Basically I am tied to four school runs a day ! Unfortunately most of my ‘mummy’ friends live in other parts of the city. This is partly because we have moved about the city a lot, only recently settling on the area we live in now.
So in an effort to lift my depression and create a new mummy network in my locality I have decided to try some mother and baby classes. These in theory will be occupied with other mums with babies, I have a baby ergo new friends.
So today I tried a baby singing class. Now I tried to have an open mind. I like singing, I like Wonder Girl, so how on earth did this class make singing to Wonder Girl mind numbingly soul destroying. Perhaps in part because of the manic teachers completely over the top, children’s tv presenter esq, cheeriness. Possibly because all of the songs were massively contrived versions of already popular tunes , changed slightly to fit the classes theme. I don’t know what it was but even Wonder Girl was ready to leave five mins in.
As I looked around the room, at the other mums, the expressions ranged from tired, and bored, to as depressed as me (and let’s not forget folks I’m in a mental hospital). It seems a shame that these women felt compelled to part with their cash for this class which no one (apart from the crazy teacher who was actually wearing doodle boppers) was enjoying.
The bored housewife/part time worker with disposable income has lead to a whole new industry. Mummy and baby classes are real money makers and there is seemingly nothing that cannot be turned into an infant appropriate class. You can do yoga, singing, dancing, football, tennis, swimming. All this for tiny tots. I’m going to cash in and start an infant pole dancing class, might be more fun than this mornings experience.
To be fair I have only tried one class with the crazy doodle bopper lady. So I will give her class another chance, if only to drag the bored mums to the pub afterwards (coffee shop people, I am kidding). I really do need some local mum friends, they are the salvation of the stay at home mum. So I welcome suggestions, where did you meet your mummy friends ? Help me people or Wonder Girl is stuck with me for her only playmate, well me and the pixies.
Monkey Music, Buggyfit, One O’Clock clubs and children’s centres. Once they start nursery or school, all the parents will have social events – is that happening where your kids go to school?
Not really or if there are I’m missing out on them on account of being nutter mum.
I once took Arlo to a ‘dance’ class. Realised it was a big mistake two minutes after walking in. Bunch of mums forcing high energy moves and shaking pom poms at their bewildered babies. Ridiculous.
Omg , Pom poms would have been enough to drive me over the edge.
Mine for a cuppa?
Sounds good 🙂
I went to a music class with a child I was nannying for. The mum had signed her up. I hated every moment of it too. why not go for a while and hand round a form with name and tel number at top to collect some contacts ( photo copy it and hand it out filled in the next week) then have a ring round and invite them for a play date? Something along the lines of I am ringing round mums in the music class to invite a few round and wondered if you and inset childs name would like to come round for a coffee while the kids play be nice to chat rather than singing,
You could do various groups of 3 plus you and they could evole as you weedle out the ones that actully enjoy that class! invite twice then if its working out suggest you take it in turns.
That’s a good idea, or I could run a music group from my lounge. I reckon I could wear crazy head ware and irritate a group of mums for half an hour a week for a fee.
The worst ever was a swimming class. The teacher had it in her head we should dunk our babies as that advert was on tv at the time with babies holding breath. I argued I felt it would be a breech of trust between my lovely baby and me. She was really pushy and aggressive about it saying my baby would be scared of water and I must have some issues with water myself ( it was horrible! I am a sub aqua diver and love water) I never went back.
As it happens Amy had an eduring water phobia and I am certain it would have made it worse. I remember thinking seriously? I am paying for this?