DD needs some Peer time.

[ribbit1019]

I am scared of mommy groups. Seriously all the moms I've met around here look at me like I am an alien with my Slinging, Cloth diapering, rear facing car seat, and BFing ways.

I've tried Storytime, it was a DISASTER and way overcrowded. I could drive her to my mom's storytime (she is a childrens librarian), but that is 40 minutes away for 30 mins of interaction.

We can't afford Little Gym/Gymboree etc. Though I secretly hope Santa will drop lessons on Christmas Eve, I highly doubt this will happen.

My kid needs to be around other little kids, it makes her happy. I thought about putting her into a preschool early, but the places I want her to go to don't start until NEXT fall when she is three and all require her to be potty trained.

Sigh, can someone please offer me guidance?

Christy
Wife to Richard
My Waterbabies
http://lilypie.com/pic/060928/Yw0w.jpg http://b3.lilypie.com/0vphm4.png
http://lilypie.com/pic/060928/iBmU.jpg http://bf.lilypie.com/uy3Mm4.png
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v221/steitzsmith/Other/jump.gif

[madelinesmom]

We live in a really small town but have a great play area at our mall. We always find interesting people to play with there, we just make sure to take our purell...

Jane
Madeline and Emily's Mom
1/20/03 11/29/05

[purpleeyes]

How about your county parks and recreation program? Ours has some wonderful options at really good prices-we've done an art one and a science one (as much science as 2 year olds can do!) and I plan to do a gym type thing in the winter when we can't get out to run around.

HTH!

Beth

[cdlamis]

Hi Christy-

You are not an alien! :) But, I kind of know how you feel. I love my playgroup that I found through MOMS but sometimes I wish I was active in a group that was more like me. I found a local AP group through mothering.com but have yet to officially join.

Maybe you already know about it but there is a forum on Mothering for groups in your area.
http://mothering.com/discussions/forumdisplay.php?s=7f056de83d3389c5b3f265f4ed819cd d&f=76
Hopefull this link will work. Otherwise, just go to the main page on www.mothering.com and click on "Finding your tribe"

Good luck!
Daniella
Mom to Julia 6/02
and Bella 12/04

http://www.gynosaur.com/assets/ribbons/ribbon_gold_12m.gif

[SnuggleBuggles]

If you used a midwife for your births maybe you could put up a sign in his/ her office saying you are looking to start a playgroup. Maybe you would find some more like minded moms?

How about nursing moms' group? LLL or similair? Postnatal yoga?

I just stumbled into my playgroup through talking to someone at the playgroubd. The next date was at someone else's house and I was so happy to find all these extended bf'ing moms, Dr. Sears' books on the shelves and all that good stuff. We weren't all alike and didn't all fall into the same place on the "crunchy" scale but everyone was supportive of each other. I wouldn't rule out people just if your 1st impression is that they think you are weird. Maybe they haven't tried/ done the things you have but maybe they are cool with it or just interested. Perhaps you can find a mom or 2 in there that you click with and you can splinter off for your own group?

Keep an open mind. Some of my friends "break" some of my parenting "rules" but I still like them. :) (They aren't so off from me though, admittedly.)

Just start up conversations wherever you are. Look for other sling wearing moms and go out of your way to talk to them. You'll find people you click with. :)

I'd probably make the drive to the story time just to check it out. And in the meantime I would hit playgrounds, museums, gardens...

Beth

[table4three]

Another suggestion is meetup.com. In my area there are AP playgroups on meetup in addition to the more mainstream groups.

Also, ditto what PP said - my LC hosts a weekly get together for AP/BF moms. Perhaps a LC would be able to guide you in the right direction.

It is too bad your storytime is so crowded. We've really enjoyed ours (I think it is capped at 15-20 kids or so) and it is free! :)

http://b2.lilypie.com/mkn7m5.png

[table4three]

Another suggestion is meetup.com. In my area there are AP playgroups on meetup in addition to the more mainstream groups.

Also, ditto what PP said - my LC hosts a weekly get together for AP/BF moms. Perhaps a LC would be able to guide you in the right direction.

It is too bad your storytime is so crowded. We've really enjoyed ours (I think it is capped at 15-20 kids or so) and it is free! :)

http://b2.lilypie.com/mkn7m5.png

[mommyoftwo]

Hmm, well I know we lives a ways away from each other, but we had a great time meeting up with you guys. It was so nice to meet someone else who does the same things I do and doesn't think I'm nuts. I especially enjoyed having you sitting next to me while I was nursing Linnea and you were nursing Jarrod at the mall. Lets try to get together again soon. :)

[mommyoftwo]

Hmm, well I know we lives a ways away from each other, but we had a great time meeting up with you guys. It was so nice to meet someone else who does the same things I do and doesn't think I'm nuts. I especially enjoyed having you sitting next to me while I was nursing Linnea and you were nursing Jarrod at the mall. Lets try to get together again soon. :)

[DebbieJ]

I would start with a LLL group and meet some moms there and see where it goes.

~ deb
DS born at home 12/03
Breastfeeding After Reduction is possible! www.bfar.org

http://www.bfar.org/members/fora/style_avatars/Ribbons/18months-bfar.jpg

[DebbieJ]

I would start with a LLL group and meet some moms there and see where it goes.

~ deb
DS born at home 12/03
Breastfeeding After Reduction is possible! www.bfar.org

http://www.bfar.org/members/fora/style_avatars/Ribbons/18months-bfar.jpg

[lisams]

I was going to recommmend LLL also. There might be a playgroup already set up with some of the moms, or they might know of a local group of moms that have similar parenting styles.

Good luck!!

[lisams]

I was going to recommmend LLL also. There might be a playgroup already set up with some of the moms, or they might know of a local group of moms that have similar parenting styles.

Good luck!!

[smilequeen]

Do you have a zoo? Our zoo has toddler classes and they are relatively cheap ($6 a class once or twice a month).

I found a local AP group on MDC, but I didn't really fit in that well with them, it was never comfortable. They do have a really strong active group though.

I totally hear you on how hard it can be to find other moms you click with.

[smilequeen]

Do you have a zoo? Our zoo has toddler classes and they are relatively cheap ($6 a class once or twice a month).

I found a local AP group on MDC, but I didn't really fit in that well with them, it was never comfortable. They do have a really strong active group though.

I totally hear you on how hard it can be to find other moms you click with.

[shilo]

i do the Y swimming (maybe J could go to kid watch while you and maddy do a class together) and have done parks and rec to get more affordable classes (haven't taken it yet, but for example the 1x/wk gym class thru parks and rec runs about $8/class as opposed to $20+/class for little gym in my area - i know the same is true of the music program thru P&R vs. commercial music classes). i met some really nice mamas thru both the Y and P&R.

i also did the 'new moms' series of classes thru the 'maternal connections' at the hospital where i delivered. they do all of the family ed and LC thru there, so tend to attract all types, but i met several BFing, babywearing, RFing mama's there and even now that the classes are over, we still meet up most weeks for play dates. i mention this because a) we had a couple mom's in my classes who had older sibs and b) we had at least one new family join at each class (series of 4 over his first year). so maybe you could do some snooping and see if any of your local hospitals have a program like this that might attract some more like-minded mamas and you could joing for the last session? maybe one that has a lot of midwife's practicing at it or has a large LC program?

lastly, i've only just started looking at preschools, but around here, every other city or so runs a parent participation 'co-op' type preschool thru their adult education program that seem to be very affordable. i haven't done a lot of research into them yet, but my guess is, they probably attract parents who are at least open to your end of the parenting scale (my end too :).

hth, lori
Sam 5/19/05 How lucky I am that you chose me.

[shilo]

i do the Y swimming (maybe J could go to kid watch while you and maddy do a class together) and have done parks and rec to get more affordable classes (haven't taken it yet, but for example the 1x/wk gym class thru parks and rec runs about $8/class as opposed to $20+/class for little gym in my area - i know the same is true of the music program thru P&R vs. commercial music classes). i met some really nice mamas thru both the Y and P&R.

i also did the 'new moms' series of classes thru the 'maternal connections' at the hospital where i delivered. they do all of the family ed and LC thru there, so tend to attract all types, but i met several BFing, babywearing, RFing mama's there and even now that the classes are over, we still meet up most weeks for play dates. i mention this because a) we had a couple mom's in my classes who had older sibs and b) we had at least one new family join at each class (series of 4 over his first year). so maybe you could do some snooping and see if any of your local hospitals have a program like this that might attract some more like-minded mamas and you could joing for the last session? maybe one that has a lot of midwife's practicing at it or has a large LC program?

lastly, i've only just started looking at preschools, but around here, every other city or so runs a parent participation 'co-op' type preschool thru their adult education program that seem to be very affordable. i haven't done a lot of research into them yet, but my guess is, they probably attract parents who are at least open to your end of the parenting scale (my end too :).

hth, lori
Sam 5/19/05 How lucky I am that you chose me.

[niccig]

I would second the parent education classes run through adult education schools or community colleges. There's about 15-20 mums in my class, not everyone turns up though because of sick kids, but easily enough people to meet someone you click with. DS loves it, he gets to play, do structured activities, story time and part of the class is parent discussion while the kids play. I think it was about $5-8 a class, you pay in advance.

Nicci

[niccig]

I would second the parent education classes run through adult education schools or community colleges. There's about 15-20 mums in my class, not everyone turns up though because of sick kids, but easily enough people to meet someone you click with. DS loves it, he gets to play, do structured activities, story time and part of the class is parent discussion while the kids play. I think it was about $5-8 a class, you pay in advance.

Nicci

[ribbit1019]

Lots of things to look into tomorrow! Awesome!! And Jess I'll call you tomorrow! There has to be something mid-way between us....


Christy
Wife to Richard
My Waterbabies
http://lilypie.com/pic/060928/Yw0w.jpg http://b3.lilypie.com/0vphm4.png
http://lilypie.com/pic/060928/iBmU.jpg http://bf.lilypie.com/uy3Mm4.png
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v221/steitzsmith/Other/jump.gif

[MamaKath]

Didn't read all the replies (horrifically slow dial up), so not sure if this was suggested...

LLL- try to find a daytime meeting or one with toddlers. Call the leaders and ask if there are other activities that are friendly to BF, slinging, rf babies toddlers and mommies.

Advertise locally to start a play group. Put little listings up in an organic grocery/health food store, etc.

Watch for people with similar lifestyles and be willing to talk. ;-) I know I always tried (and still do, though mine are no longer in slings) to go up to moms with slings, who are extended nursing, cloth diapering or keeping their kids rf longer than a year and offer a word of encouragement. We often would get a conversation started and end up exchanging numbers.

Find a great park. Usually a great park has kids to play with almost any time of the day. You may or may not ever see them again, but it gives plenty of healthy interaction.

Try story hours at the book store, not just the library. IME these were always less crowded and crazy than those at the library.

HTH and hang in there!!!!

[holliam]

Some other ideas...

Try the API organization; this is how we originally started to find other local nuts. ;) http://www.attachmentparenting.org/ or see if holistic moms is in your town http://www.holisticmoms.org/

Also, try searching Yahoo groups in your area. You'd be surprised by what you could find!

We have local babywearing, cloth diapering, API, AP playgroups, LLL, holistic moms, preschool homeschooling groups, MDC tribe, etc. It's kind of humorous at this point because we all keep running into each other on all the groups now. :)

But, when we first started looking many of these groups didn't exist. They were started by other moms who wanted to find like-minded folks!

Holli

[Tondi G]

I was going to suggest a LLL meeting or have a look at see if there is a Nine in Nine Out meeting near you too!

Good luck

~Tondi

[kimbe]

Where I used to live it really took some digging to find programs. I found them at ---

the library -- they had programs for little ones where they did fingerplays for like 15 minutes and then had a program for toddlers. (Not just storytimes!) There are similar programs where I am now, but a lot better!

parks and rec -- cute programs where they had a kids singer for a half an hour

If you have a children's museum try there too. You might have to pay, but it'll probably be like $5!

Good luck! I hear you on the feeling alien.