I’m a bit scared. After over three years of being a mum, tomorrow I am going to my first playgroup. I’m not the most sociable person in the world anyway and when E was a baby I was entirely too overwhelmed by the idea of trying to look after him in an unknown environment at the same time as making small talk with lots of women I didn’t know, who would all be coping so much better than me, that I never went to one. I knew E would be starting nursery before his first birthday when I went back to work so he wasn’t going to be short of interaction with other kids so why put myself through it I thought. Looking back I realise I should have just pulled myself together and gone and I probably would have met some nice people and had a lovely time. Well, you live and learn!
T will be starting nursery at Christmas when I start work again and they have playgroup for under ones once a week. I’m hoping going in the meantime will mean he’s familiar with the environment before I have to leave him there and this will help avoid the traumatic scenes we had with E when he first started. Sounds sensible, yes?
But now Hubs has told them I’m coming when he dropped E off yesterday so I’m actually going to have to go. Cue anxiety. They’re going to be those yummy mummies I was talking about last week, aren’t they? Their babies will be all cute and smiley, won’t they? They will have lost all their baby weight, won’t they? This is going to be the most uncomfortable 90 minutes of my life, isn’t it? Oh god, what am I doing?
Image: Ambro / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Melksham Mum says
You’ll be fine! I avoided the toddler group in the nearby village when E was little as I was scared of the super confident yummy mummies (that do go there!) and I thought they were all too posh for me, I ‘braved’ it when A was 4 months and E was 2 1/2 and now I’m in charge of it!
Hope you have a good time x x
Pants With Names says
Good luck with it. Remember that they’re probably hoping someone is going to come and talk to them too. Find someone with similar age kids and coo over how lovely their little angels are and you’ll be away.
Don’t envy you though – I’m avoiding the playgroup thing like the plague this time round! I haven’t the energy. x
fivegoblogging says
Just remember, every mum has gone to check their baby’s nappy and got poo all over their fingers. If they say they haven’t they are lying! Go girl!
jbmumofone says
You will be fine and they will be lovely. It’s a great idea. Leave enough time to check for any major wardrobe errors before you leave though. Halfway through a mummy coffee meet I went to realised my t-shirt was on inside out. Didn’t go again x
motherventing says
Oh love! It’ll be OK, promise. I was proper nervous before I turned up to Moo’s playgroup, I didn’t know what the ‘rules’ were, or the etiquette – and then I just talked to someone who looked new, like me, and that was that. It’ll take a bit of nerve to talk to people who all seem to know each other so try to pick just one or two at first. Then all you have to do is compliment their child, or ask how old they are (the child, that is) and say that they’re gorgeous (even if you think they’re not). Don’t worry about what you’re wearing, everyone is too busy fretting about themselves to worry about you.
It’ll be fine. Deep breaths. You’ll wonder what you were so fussed about this time tomorrow!
xxx
Mum2babyinsomniac says
Ahh you will be fine – Motherventings advice is great. I started going to groups when Iyla was 3 weeks old because I can’t handle being in the house all day and I knew I needed to make some new friends and I didn’t know any mums and had moved away from all my non-mum friends. I have met some lovely people and it is so nice to speak to people in the same situation. I went to one on my own last week and everyone was lovely 🙂 good luck xx
NotMyYearOff says
Good luck. I felt exactly the same when I went to baby massage. I was so nervous and Id thrown clothes on so was even more paranoid. There were definitely yummy mummies there but there were normal mummies there too also looking for other human mums to talk to. I hope you have fun!!
Deborah the Closet Monster says
My little guy’s coming up on two and I’ve yet to experience a playgroup. I don’t feel I’ve been missing much, and feel for you. I hope you’ll find the sampling of moms there share a lot of your same joys and fears, without too much posturing beforehand!
Interactions are so positive in the communities we build online, I sometimes forget how very different they can be face-to-face . . .
LagosMum says
You’ll be absolutely fine! I’m shy and feel a bit overwhelmed meeting new people – but if I had the chance over here, I’d jump at it. Just relax and try and enjoy yourself 🙂 X
Mammasaurus says
Good luck – or should I say I hope it went well !
These things are always daunting, other mums and dads will be feeling the same too – just be yourself and they’ll love you 🙂
Also you may find you are far too busy running about looking after and generally marvelling at your little fella socialising to have much time to over thing it once you get there ! x
Emma says
How did it go? I have to admit I don’t take the little bean to groups as often as I probably should, because I feel nervous about talking to the other Mums. But this isn’t a Mum thing, I’ve always been like that about talking to people I don’t know.
catparrott says
Thanks everyone, glad I’m not the only one that worries about this stuff. It turned out to be surprisingly painless. Now I feel silly for being such a wimp.
lisa brandling says
Don’t panic! I was completely petrified when I had to do it. I was the same, not sociable at all and I don’t talk much even if I know you. this was my idea of hell, but made some good friends and three years on we still see each other.