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Hey Melissa, I'm sorry you are having a hard time finding playgroups. You could try www.mothersandmore.com and find a chapter in your area or www.momsclub.com. Yahoo groups also has great playgroups. www.meetup.com may have something in your area.
Good Luck!
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| posted by Marya on 11/01/2008 08:08 PM
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| mellisa, yeah, looks like were in the "same boat" here. i have been trying to get a play group started for my son here in fl. but no joiners yet. so, i have been taking him to the mall(they have a kiddy play area there) and to the park alot. if i ever find a job, maybe i can aford to put him in somekind of class for some friends. weve tried day care ,but he stays sick.(so thats out.) |
| posted by teresa on 11/01/2008 08:27 PM
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Melissa,
I know how u feel. I live in a small town in Texas. I am currently looking for a playgroup. I have an almost 3 yr old daughter. We don't know anyone out here. We recently went to McDonalds and there happened to be a little boy (2 yr old)and his grandmother at the playground. My daughter immediatly started playing with him. Then I started talking to his grandmother. We exchanged numbers and are going to start getting together when we can for the kids to play. I am also going to post a letter at the library to try to start a playgroup in our town. I hope it works out for my daughter's sake and my own. I need that aduly conversation in my life !
Good luck to you in your search. |
| posted by Danielle on 11/01/2008 11:25 PM
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| Hi! My name is Ashley and I feel I'm in the same boat. I'm only 22 and all my friends are still in school or have other agendas (parties, drinking, etc.). I feel like my 2 year old only gets to play with adults and her baby sister (and how fun could that be for her?). If anyone would like to set up a playdate in northeast louisiana, feel free to contact me. |
| posted by Ashley on 11/05/2008 02:15 AM
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| I do not understand why a need for playgroup. It is just social contact. Is there more to it? A few times, my children got home ill because some irresponsible mother just let their sick child play with other kids. |
| posted by Jane on 11/05/2008 03:00 AM
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Jane, r u kidding? just social contact? uh I think thats a pretty important aspect of human life. For our children to learn how to get along with others.Not just adults or family, but outsiders. I am so sorry your little ones got ill.
Melissa - hope you find a local playgroup soon. Don't give up they are out there. |
| posted by amanda on 11/05/2008 01:48 PM
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| This is a reply to the mom who said social interraction isn't important. I just want to say I hope that you change your mind soon.....I have an associates in early child development. One of the most important things your child needs is opportunity for social interraction for many many reasons.For one they need to learn how to react with other kids. They learn how to communicate and get along with others. They learn how to accept others and their differences. They become aware of multiculturalism. It is absolutly important for children to interact with others. Those are just a few reasons why it's important. Also about your kids getting sick. If they are around other children it will help them to build their immune system. It's no wonder your kids got sick the couple of times they were around other children. I really really hope you change your mind! FOR THE KIDS SAKES! |
| posted by Danielle on 11/05/2008 09:25 PM
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| Social interaction is the building block of society. If your child never learns to associate with his/her peers, how will he interact with his peers later in life? Your argument makes no sense. All kids need playmates of the same or similar age. |
| posted by Ashley on 11/06/2008 01:58 AM
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| I hope I can find the post which members discussed about why it is not necessary for playgroup or childcare. They shared their experiences about this issue recently in one of the groups. It was very interesting. That is why I mentioned a part of it that my twins also got sick when they play with other children in the playgroup. It is irresponsible for mother to gather their sick child with other healthy children. I agreed with them also. I really hope that the members will appear or rather I try to find the post soon. Danielle, please do not say that my children did not associate that is why they got sick easily. That is not the proper manner to discuss. You may not know that it may happen to your own healthy child too. |
| posted by Jane on 11/06/2008 03:38 AM
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| Well, I wish I could respond entirely to your post but I'm not sure I really understood it. All i know is that you asked if there was "more to it" when commenting on social interraction and playgroups. I did not mean to offend you. I just hope that u change your mind about social interraction and it's importance to our children. By the way your children can catch the same kinds of illnessess in a playgroup as they can at the grocery store or department store. The germs are everywhere whether or not they are getting it directly or indirectly. |
| posted by Danielle on 11/06/2008 06:48 PM
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| Danielle, this shows that you cannot accept other people's opinion and experience. What we are discussing now is solely on playgroup and not other places. You are out of point. Some of our members really shared their bad experiences with regards to playgroup and we just have to learn it. Its seems that you are not helping Melissa or any other members. You should know there are advantages and disadvantages to everything in life. We are supposed to share our experiences. Please be more sensitive towards other people feeling when you talk to others. Try not to use the word change your mind many times. Lastly, do you know there are many posts on playgroup? |
| posted by Jane on 11/06/2008 08:48 PM
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| You could ask your childrens school also.The mall around the kids area.I notice during the winter thats a popular meeting place. |
| posted by Lexi on 11/07/2008 02:34 PM
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| Wow! Ok, nevermind to the whole thing. I think everyone here would agree with what I was saying. I was only touching base on a single comment you made. No harm meant. Melissa don't give up on the playgroup you have tried to start. I am currently trying to start one of my own. I live in a small town so there aren't many of those things already started here. But I plan to change that. I agree with you she definatly needs social interaction. My daughter does as well. Playgroups are wonderful places to get that. Not only that but it will give you a place to meet other moms and share your experiences with them and make new friends!!! Good luck to you!!! |
| posted by Danielle on 11/07/2008 04:02 PM
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| I completely agree with danielle. Jane was saying that she doesn't understand why we want playmates for our children because at her playdate, her children got sick. Your children can get sick anytime, anywhere. Go Danielle. Point made. |
| posted by Ashley on 11/08/2008 02:32 AM
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| Thank you Ashley. By the way cute kids! You can add me to your friends list if you want to. We can talk about the kiddos and give each other advice! |
| posted by Danielle on 11/08/2008 02:37 AM
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I agree with Danielle about the social implications of playgroups. I definitely notice my son interacts with other children his age (16 months), much differently than he interacts with adults. He seems to be much more gentle and curious, while some kids are meaner. The little guy has to learn how to handle all types of different situations and personalities.
And to Jane...typically children (and people in general) spread viruses long before they have any sign of the illness. This is just how disease works. And your child(ren) will have to eventually confront these illnesses anyway. I'm not in your shoes, and I don't know what kind of illnesses your kids have faced in the past, but a little cold or flu here and there typically is manageable. The immune system is strengthened and makes 'Memory B Cells' after it confronts an illness. These white blood cells remember whatever pathogen they encounter so they can destroy it almost immediately the next time it enters your child's system.
My son has a cold right now. We go to the Little Gym and swim lessons. No one at either of these facilities appeared sick, but he caught a cold anyway. Big deal. A vaporizor, Vicks, Ocean Nose Spray (and sometimes tylenol), and he's as good as new (but incredibly snotty and little more irritable).
However, Jane, you do what's best for you and your family. I hope you do not take offense to anything I have written. I just wanted you to know that you cannot always tell which child is sick. I will say, though, that I do think it is irresponsible when a child is blatantly sick to involve him/her in any kind of social interaction with other kids. It just freaks moms' out. Case in point, my son skipped both The Little Gym and swim lessons this week, and will not return until he is well. I wish you good luck and good health.
To Melissa...I agree with the mom who suggested meetup.com. I'm in Phoenix, and there are a million meet up groups here. I'm sure you'll be able to find something in your area. |
| posted by Allison on 11/08/2008 10:27 PM
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