Playgroup. Bleurgh!
Now don’t go shooting me down in flames. This may be a tad controversial, and I accept playgroups are a lifeline to many mums, and super great for the little ones, blah blah blah. But come on. Don’t they sometimes just annoy you?
And I’m not trying to put you off them. If you haven’t been, go with a friend, and all of this stuff will be hilarious. These are not ten universal truths, just my sarcastic take on the matter. Probably on a bad day.
*Secures her bullet proof vest for the onslaught*
Argh, here goes:
Playgroup Truth #1
Small strangers try to touch you. They are sticky. They have A LOT of breakfast encrusted around their faces and they may be snotty. Their parent/guardian types are not parenting or guarding, they are playing Candy Crush Saga on their mobile phones at an unsafe distance.
Urgh, but you’re not all bad. You have a change of heart and decide to adopt poor urchin child. You go home with eight children. You only came with one.
Playgroup Truth #2
All you came for is the coffee and cake. So why are they making you wait? Come on, dish up. You’re not going to burn anyone. (Probably.)
And when it is finally break time you feel bad about people waiting on you (and scowling about it), so you half-heartedly try to assist, not knowing where anything is and hoping your kid doesn’t break stuff whilst you’re gone. And why so territorial about the cake? Just give me the damned CAAAAAAAKE.
Playgroup Truth #3
There’s that snack time bit when the kids dive into the food trough and the mums are all so enviably cool about it. You are the only one scrubbing your kid with wet wipes and bundling them up in their plastic scene of crime suit to avoid the mess. So much bloody mess. How did they get to be so chilled out about the MESS?
Playgroup Truth #4
Then there’s that sing-song time when everyone knows the words apart from you. The snippets you thought you knew appear to have changed since your day. Apparently no one is falling out of bed and bumping their head any more. Miss Molly does not have a dolly whose head pops off. Your versions make the children sob.
Some toad has also added extra verses to make you look like even more of a loser. Since when was there a shivering polar bear when you were merrily rowing your boat down the stream? Nonsense.
You can’t keep count during the songs with numbers. How many ducks/monkeys/dratted men in a flying saucer did they get to? Oh, who cares. You never believed in the moon landing anyway.
The lullabies start you yawning. Or is that just LACK OF SLEEP?
Playgroup Truth #5
Then there’s that excruciating bit when the nursery rhymes have actions. Probably in some form of made up sign language which is suitable for babies but totally out of your league. Because you are too sodding stupid. You cannot keep up with the actions. You are the only one. The other women are hero mums with octopus arms and super brains. They will probably start singing in Portuguese in a sec.
That’s it, they’ve spotted you. They can see you don’t know your hopping bunnies from your dingle dangle whatevers. You must be a bad mother who does not sing to your child. You will need to leave soon before authorities are notified.
Playgroup Truth #6
You have to feign interest in making gunky patterns with bits of potato whilst your child, clearly not giving a toss about any vegetable that isn’t a chip, scoots off to investigate an interesting piece of skirting board.
And don’t get started on that messy play. You do not want to sit in a tub of cold spaghetti hoops in the interests of “improving your sensory experience” and nor does your child. You’ve got enough bloody washing to do.
Playgroup Truth #7
You’re never sure of the shoe etiquette. Shoes on? Shoes off? Everyone’s doing something different. Seems sensible to take them off (lady with the stilettos who stood on my kid’s fingers, I’m looking at you). But slightly hideous when it’s summer and your Peacocks pumps are stinking the place out. Not to mention that you haven’t painted your toe nails since before you got preg. Where’s the flipping time?
Playgroup Truth #8
When it’s time to pack away, you’ve no clue where to put stuff. You’re trying to show your child how to cooperate and tidy up nicely, but you don’t want to screw up and get scowled at (again). It’s a military operation. Do the dolls go in the house or the box?
Oh, the pressure.
As a brazen friend once put it, “I’m not being an arse, I just don’t where anything goes.” Yeah, what she said. Now let me help you clear away that cake.
Playgroup Truth #9
But worst of all they don’t serve wine. And let’s face it ladies, they bloody should.
Playgroup Truth #10
Because wine is probably cheaper.
So now that I’ve offended everyone I’ve ever met at a playgroup and probably got myself banned from all of them, what’s your take on the matter? Are you a lover or a hater? Have I missed anything? Stick your comment in the box a bit further down and join the revolution!
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All I’ll say as I sit smugly drinking coffee pretending I can’t hear the dog’s barking to be let back in is that by the time baby b goes to school I hope glitter slime is extinct…… They have recipes you know…… Cos cooking for your family is not enough…… There are many slime recipes……. Good luck ….. And also by the time our favourite 1 yr old is 5 you will have walked on lots of lego….. Lots and lots of lego….. There are no songs to prepare you…. X X X loving the blog see you Saturday
Glitter that is slime? What on earth..?! I won’t be making that nonsense. And Lego. Hmm. I can see how that might be necessary. But I’m just seeing that scene from Home Alone with all the Micro Machines. Disaster. 😫 Thanks for your comment, lovey. Look forward to seeing you soon. Xx
Haha, a few of those really made me chuckle… my exact thought when I first went to bounce and rhyme was “wtf” to the polar bear
WTF indeed! There’s even a verse about rowing your boat down the stream eating a jar of pickles, which leads to something about it being time for tickles. Hey?! 😅
Great post this! The shoe is an ever ongoing issue that I remember even to this day!!
Thanks Jon. Funny to hear that the great shoe quandary has been rumbling on! Maybe it could be like bowling, but you hand in your shoes for a pair of communal slipper socks. Hmm…
I used to quite enjoy them with no.1, but with the twins I felt very judged by mummies watching me try and run after 2 in different directions, while they sat with their single child able to keep a handle on it! I stopped going in the end.
Oh no, those terrible judge-y mums. I’m sure you were better off out of there, Sonia!
This made me giggle, I’m sure my little ones playgroup sends a secret song sheet to everyone but me, or that’s how it feels, each time I catch up they start singing another new one!
Yes, that’s exactly it. A secret song sheet! I knew those schemers were up to something…😂
I was never a toddler group fan. I went because I felt it was the done thing. I couldn’t stand the singing time.
It certainly does feel like an obligation at times. I’m kind of getting into the singing, if only I knew the pesky words!
Haha! Ain’t that the truth! When my elder two were little I used to escape to toddler groups from the chaos of two small children. But with my youngest I enjoyed to spend time away from other peoples children as lest face it they are the worst!
Hmm. So when you’ve got multiple kids, toddler groups can actually be a sanctuary from the noise at home. That’s an interesting thought, Joanne!
I have a love hate relationship with toddler groups. I love to go but hate the associated politics. Your hanging round your kid like a bad smell making sure they don’t snatch/hit/lick but every other kid is doing it, creating a general atmosphere of injustice. Fab blog post!
Yes, injustice, exactly! Trying to find the right balance between being polite to other people’s rowdy kids, but not letting your child think it’s ok to be pushed around. All whilst their mums are busy scoffing all the cake! Grr.
I never liked toddler groups. They always made me feel judged and out of place so I hear ya. Glad those days are over.
It’s fascinating to hear how so many of us feel the same. Thank you for taking the time to comment!
Haha this made me laugh. I totally relate to a lot of it. I used to help out at a toddler group… I can’t remember why on earth I put myself through it but I did and I made the loveliest friends that I still go out with once a month now so I’m so pleased that I persevered 🙂
Well done you! Maybe the answer lies in being in charge of the cake then. Hmm…😆
They really should serve wine, shouldn’t they?’ These are so true!
Thanks for your comment. Yes – wine all the way! (Maybe a bit weird at 10am though… 🙂 )
One of my favourite toddler groups with my eldest son thrust a tea and biscuit in to your hand the minute you walked through the door! Just what you need to survive Toddler Groups 😉
Brilliant! Some of them make you wait until the kids have their snacks at the end. Boo to that! Xx