Wednesday, November 19, 2008

I need a new playgroup...

Today, Val was sick, so we left him home with Pop-pop and headed out to our usual Wednesday playgroup. Now the group is advertised as being for mobile babies to 5 years old. Both of my children fit squarely into this category, so I thought that it would be fun for them for several years. I thought I wouldn't need to look elsewhere, maybe ever because one they're 5 years old, they'll be in school, and won't have time for morning playgroups anymore. But lately, it's been mostly 1 - 1 1/2 year old kids and they're just too small for Lucian to play with. Also, they're too small for Lucian to play around. He likes to ride all the bikes, and prefers to crash into other kids. He knows better than to purposely crash into the smaller kids, but sometimes they wander into his way before he can maneuver around them. And then the other moms get mad at him. And though I spend the morning yelling his name from across the gymnasium, they never come to me, they yell at him, instead. It irritates me, but I know that not everyone can handle adult confrontation the way I do, so I just make sure that I reinforce what the other mom told him, so he learns that anyone taller that him is an authority that needs to be respected and listened to. I figure this is good for school. (I realize this also sets him up for kidnapping, but I really don't let the kid out of my sight, even at playgroup)

Today, somebody did work up the nerve to tell me that my kid was making her nervous. I apologized, assured her that he was pretty good on the bike, and that I would try to keep a better eye on him. She assured me that her twin boys would bite him, if they felt threatened. I said I was sure they wouldn't have to go that route. But, the truth of the matter is, he is too old for that play group. He's too old for all of them. He's a three year old boy who plays better with 4 and 5 year olds that kids his own age. And moms with older children obviously run in different circles. I am looking for those circles.

Do you have older preschoolers? Where do you hang out? Do you think I should separate the groups I take my older kid to from the ones I take my younger kid to?

4 comments:

Unknown said...

Well, we never did playgroups because I work outside of the home. All of Travis's social interaction came from day care and his many, many cousins.

Have you looked into the park district day cares? they are usually only an hour or two and three days a week, very cheap rates too. Also check your local high school for programs. The hs is our area had a pre school program for 3 and 4 year olds. $125 for the whole year, three days a week, one and half hours a day.

Happy Mommy said...

Hm. Interesting. I hadn't thought of HS programs. I don't know what a park district day care is. I'll try googling it.

Thanks!

Unknown said...

It's hard to explain what a park district day care is. The parks in our areas are segregated by "districts" (neighborhoods) and each one has a "field house" where they have vending machines, that's where we vote in our area, etc and the bigger ones have day cares in them. Check with city hall and they'll tell you if they have them.

Happy Mommy said...

Ahhhh, Ok. I see. I'll look into that. Thanks!