stay at home mums

[Princess]

Having found out yesterday that I am being made redundant, I am desperately looking to find some more full time stay at home mums!

My son will be one in a fortnight. Over the past year, we have enjoyed meeting with various groups of friends but are at the stage where others are beginning to go back to work and the 'slots' we had regularly filled each week are looming as empty holes in the diary!! We go to various clubs, playgroups and rhyme times but haven't really met many regular friends through these routes as it seems to be a different group of people each week. If anyone else is a SAHM and can point me in the direction of where the SAHM's go and how they fill their time I'd be really grateful.

Px

[snowboarder]

I had similar redundancy (and wasn't really sure whether wanted to go back) - issues and ended up not going back to work - so look after my 20m old full time. We have something organised for 4 out of the 5 weekday mornings - actual sign up for classes - which does mean that you do see the same people every week. It is still hard to make friends at classes though - I think especially as the babies get older, more mums back at work, quite alot of the people at the classes are nannies! Not a problem they are nice but have their own friends/groups etc. So class then lunch then nap and afternoons we tend to do jobs/go to park/playdates and tea. Some weeks you can have loads on I find and sometimes (today!) the weather is awful, no one close by is around and its a bit depressing.

It's good to try and have a little circle of contacts near bu with similar age children - maybe even via this forum?

[Princess]

Thanks Snowboarder and to the people who have PM'd me. We do do a lot of the pay for groups Tin Pan Annie, Bea's Baby Bop etc and they're all great and fill the time. I guess I'm hoping to find some like minded people to fill the hole my NCT group and the Forum Playdate gap that is now emerging. These were more 'gossipy' groups generally held in someone's house where I actually met some really lovely people.

I'm sure when I've adjusted to this SAHM thing and got my "I love biscuits" badge from Sillywoman I'll find out where everyone is hanging out!

[Gussy]

Hi I'm a SAHM and have been for the last 2 years. I've got a 2 year old and 8 month old. Snowboarder sums it up well, there aren't many of us and a lot of the time you will cross paths with a mum here and there, but then she is working some days, so your group of friends will be a lot more broad and include nannies, child minders and grand parents! Best bet is to get a timetable together of all the local groups - we do the same as snowboarder, we are out mon-thurs at morning activities (playgroups, music classes, libraries, soft play etc) and then in the afternoon after nap time its generally shopping, park/swings or play date. I'm not going to lie its hard to get a network going. I'm still struggling after just moving here...it takes time, even as long as 6 months to a year to see people regularly enough to get your week sorted. Or maybe you're super outgoing and can strike up friendships quicker than me. Anyway, you're not alone and there's lots of people on here who are more than happy to share experiences, meet up with x

[Princess]

It seems to be that most SAHM's seem to experience a similar thing from what I'm reading here.

I'm very much looking forward to meeting one of ED's SAHM on the 16th time and details TBC. If anyone else wants to join us they would be very welcome.

Px

[realdeal4476]

Hello

Happy New Year all!

I read your post with interest Princess, but am sorry for your news.

I am also a SAHM with a 13 month old little boy; I'm in a similar position where lots of my mum friends are on their way back to work now and the weeks can seem long. There are loads of groups to go to but I agree Gussy & Snowboarder, that it can be hard to make good mates there. Also my LO sleeps in the mornings which means we miss many groups at the mo.

Anyway, I'm always up for a walk in the park, the swings, or a cup of tea & biscuits on a bad weather day at home with babies (if that snow comes again I may go insania!). I've posted on here before as a while back a few of us started an at home book group which has been really good fun - takes us ages to read anything and we always get distracted! But we made good friends that way. I'm thinking maybe a Loose Women style group could be good for laughs and gossips .... all thoughts welcome.

Nx

[Ruth_Baldock]

Hello lovely SAHMs,

I do work very PT, but after Baby Baldock 2 arrives in July, it is unlikely I'll be going back to work...for the next 5 years at least (Baby Baldock 1 is currently looked after when I am working by MIL, very lovely of her, but I suspect looking after a 9 month old and 2 1/2 year old, when I am meant to go back, will be way too much to ask!)

I digress. Baby Baldock is one, and we'd love to meet up with other Mums and babies, particuarly if there are any other mentalists out there attempting to have '2 under 2'. We can commiserate together, and have our heads examined...er, I mean, look adorlingly at our well behaved toddlers and think 'How lovely and easy pregnancy is this time round...' I'm almost ALWAYS at Bumps+Babes at goose green centre on Mondays, I co-ordinate it and will be doing so until May-ish. I'd recommend it, lovely group, although I am hugely biased...

Happy New Year, everyone!

[realdeal4476]

congrats on No 2 being on the way Ruth :-)

is that 10 - 12 at goose green? i will try and persuade DS to awake from his nap and join on 10th Jan as per your previous posts. or he can stay asleep in pram and i will gossip :-)

HNY!

[Princess]

Hi everyone,

I'm currently away so apologies for typos etc in advance, (tapping on my phone with fat fingers)!

We did try and get together before Xmas but all seemed to fall ill so it didn't quite happen. We are going to try and get something up and running in the next couple of weeks. When I'm back in ED next week I'll send a pm and we can try again for anyone who's still keen.

Happy new year!

Ox

[happy82]

Hi

I am a SAHM, have a 16 month old and baby number 2 due in March, most NCT mums all back at work so I do get quite lonely, would love to get a new network going, especially with number 2 due soon. Haven't made it to Bumps and Babes in weeks and am on holiday on the 10th but will try and make it there soon. In the meantime if there is a meet up being arranged I would love to be included.

Desperately missing adult conversation, must learn more about these I love Biscuits badges too, would love to get my hand on one!

Please keep me posted. x

[Hamlets Health Club]

Hi Ruth,

Happy New Year!

I'm contacting you from Hamlets Health Club (the health club situated next to the big Sainsbury's on Dog Kennel Hill). I'd like to let you know about the season that we're currently promoting...

"The Season of Weight Loss Extravaganzas"

The season includes the following events specifically designed to help people to achieve their health, weight and wellbeing goals:

- 12 week WEIGHT LOSS CHALLENGE to help you achieve your weight loss goals and win cash prizes. Individuals will learn about different aspects about nutrition and making healthy lifestyle choices, whilst receiving group and one to one support from their PERSONAL WELLNESS COACH. Further to this, each participant will receive a full weekly body composition analysis to track their progress. As an additional incentive, individuals who make the most amount of progress at the end of the 12 weeks will win a cash prize

- One-to-one support and wellness evaluations on BODY BEAUTIFUL TUESDAY.

- The PERSONAL PERFORMANCE CHALLENGE for the fit. A full body composition analysis and Personal Wellness Coaching.

We would like to offer you and members of the Bumps+Babe group ALL of these events for FREE ONLY with membership throughout January when you quote ?SPARE TYRE?

We also offer full GYM FACILITIES AND CLASSES, SQUASH COURTS, SAUNA, PERSONAL TRAINING AND HEALTH TREATMENTS

If you or members of the Bumps+Babe group are interested then please contact us at:

Hamlets Health Club

A - Edgar Kail Way, East Dulwich, London, SE22 8BD

T ? 02072748707

W - www.hamletshealthclub.com

or

Event Managers

M ? 07903297717 / 07985474346 / 02087617250

E ? [email protected]

Would it also be possible to hand out a few flyers to your group when you meet up next? (please contact Laddi directly on 07903297717 or [email protected] if you think this will be possible)

Thanks for your time. We look forward to hearing from you.

Have a great day.

Hamlets Health Club

[Fuschia]

I would avoid Hamlets Health Club due to very restrictive tieins and difficulty in cancelling membership, has been discussed elsewhere on the forum and on consumer internet forums.

[Fuschia]

I would read this before considering Hamlets: http://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/forum/read.php?30,485943,486520#msg-486520

[Hamlets Health Club]

Hi Fuscia,

My name is Laddi. I am managing the Season of Weight Loss Extravaganzas at Hamlets Health Club and working alongside them to help promote this season.

I have just viewed the thread on the link you provided. First and foremost, I?m sorry to hear about your experience with Ashbourne Management. I can empathise with your annoyance and frustration as a few years ago I was in a similar situation with a Landlord.

I have made some enquiries at Hamlets Health Club. A few months ago, Hamlets Health Club used the services of an external company to secure their memberships. This company offered 2 year contracts. Hamlets Health Club are not currently using the same company to secure memberships and have assured me that 6 month memberships are available and that is exactly what they are - no more, no less. All memberships in January do provide members with FREE access to the events that will be held as part of the Season of Weight Loss Extravaganzas (when they mention ?Spare Tyre?).

I appreciate that your trust in the club has been knocked by your experience.

If you or anybody else has been put off joining as a result of this I would like to let you know that you can still join the gym without entering into a contract by paying 3 or 6 months upfront (you also get a discount doing it this way). With this you will be still be entitled to access all of the events during the weight loss season for FREE. I hope this period of time will be sufficient to gain the trust and confidence of any new members that want to join.

Kind regards,

[zeban]

Stop advertising Hamlets Gym, this thread isn't anything about gyms or weight loss. I feel as though you're taking advantage of this forum. If you're offering a discount to Mums and that's why you added a post here you'ld be better off adding a QUICK thread just talking about the discount on offer in the family classifieds section.

[Fuschia]

zeban Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Stop advertising Hamlets Gym, this thread isn't

> anything about gyms or weight loss. I feel as

> though you're taking advantage of this forum. If

> you're offering a discount to Mums and that's why

> you added a post here you'ld be better off adding

> a QUICK thread just talking about the discount on

> offer in the family classifieds section.

Indeed!

Laddi, it wasn't me personally who was pursued for payment aggressively by Ashbourne Management, but other forum members have been. It is not so easy for the reputation of an organisation to be rebuilt after such sharp practices, though I can see why the healh club is now aggressively promoting itself on the forum, as it does indeed have a very poor reputation given past operations.

[ClareC]

My daughter is nearly 12 months and number 2 is due in May (15 1/2 month gap, eek), seems unlikely I will go back to work between the two and would love to meet up with you all.

[Hamlets Health Club]

Hi Fuschia,

I'm not sure if you received this message as I cannot find it on any of the threads. Anyway,please find below a link which contains a response to your concerns about people joining Hamlets Health Club:

http://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/forum/read.php?30,595342

Kind regards,

[zeban]

.

[Dragon99]

Hello :-)

I'd love to meet up with other SAHM's too. I have a 17M old and find there is plenty to do locally in the mornings but find the afternoons (especially in the winter) draaaaaag when couped up with a toddler bouncing of the walls... would love to find a group that met in the afternoons x

[pebbles]

Dragon99 - agree with you on the arvo front so perhaps we should organise to meet one afternoon. I'm without my 3 1/2 yr old on Tues and Thurs arvos so they would suit me best as I struggle to talk to anyone else as he asks SOOOOOO many questions. How does Tues or Thursdays arvos suit anyone else?

[Dragon99]

Thurs would be good for us......x

[snowboarder]

We have some boring afternoons post nap too - I have a 21m old and newbie on the way...eta late feb early march. I'm finding it increasingly hard to drag toddler away from cbeebies these days...!

[realdeal4476]

Thurs afternoons are great for us too.

If anyone fancies there's already a group meeting up for book discussions on bi weekly Tuesday afternoons (next Tues is the first one of 2011). Like you I find the afternoons can draaaaaag.

It's something we started up last year; we read 2 books from the Man Booker Prize List between June - Dec (a massive achievement we all felt) and we are starting again next Tues afternoon. I'm hosting the first one at home (SE15) when we will choose the next book.

It's a mixed group of some stay at home mums and some part time working mums. Some are new to the group. Some babies are 8 months, some are a year, some are 3 or more. It's nice to get mixed groups as it brings babies on more too.

Basically we do anon voting for a title from the shortlist and then each do our damndest to get through it, some weeks we even manage 10 mins discussion before we hit the tea and latest Grazia gossip :-)

We take turns hosting at home as it means babies can play safely together in a living room.

[millie42]

Also has anyone tried Tippeetoes at All Fired Up Ceramics Cafe?

They have drop-in music sessions for babies and toddlers on Monday at 10am and 11am (45 minutes sessions). I thinks ita about ?2.50 a session.

Maybe a few of us culd try it out if it one Monday.

Michelle and Felix (24mths)