Playgroup is a place to meet up other parents and their kids so both parents and their kids could enjoy the company of others.
A place to socialise and mingle, playgroups should be all fun and jolly.
Having taken my child to oh so many playgroups over the years, I have seen quite a number of very distinct pattern of interactions in the playgroups.
By interactions, I don't mean among the kids.
The kids interacts just like kids do so no issue there.
But I do see how parents mingle with each other, and how they handle their kids.
Playgroups in general can either have a paid or volunteer leader, or be parent-led.
A playgroup leader plans and runs the sessions.
I have met volunteer playgroup leader before but the reason why they volunteer is because the sessions takes place at a hall that belongs to a church. So apart from running the sessions, the leader was responsible in making sure church properties are being well looked after.
As for paid playgroup leaders, they can either be paid by the council and the sessions are usually held at council owned properties, or they are paid using the playgroup term fees.
I was a member to a playgroup that charged $50/term for a once a week session or $45/term for a twice weekly sessions. The fee also covers usage of the hall where the sessions were held.
Paid playgroup leaders by the council are subject to the availability of special grant or funding. They are usually with the playgroup for a limited time, about two to three terms until the group can be parent-led, or until the grant runs out. Or both.
Parent-led playgroups are most commonly found. Parents take turn to come early to set up the place for the sessions. Parents are assigned tasks such as clearing up toys for fruit time, clean up after that, cutting of fruits, washing dishes, setting up toys and packing them up before end of sessions.
With parent-led groups and playgroups with volunteer leaders, gold coin donations for each sessions is an acceptable requirement.
For all playgroups, a piece of fruit from each participating families is a general rule so that the fruit can be shared during fruit time.
The thing I like about going to playgroups is that my child could see and mingle with other kids.
Apart from that the eating together during fruit time is a good practice for my child in preparation for kinder. Sharing toys and taking turns are great too.
But sometimes I do have some uneasiness with certain type of people in some playgroups.
I have been to many playgroups over the years and I've met pleasant people and also the not so pleasant people.
Top of my list of the not so pleasant people that I've met is the parents who are cliquey.
I think I understand their 'need' to be cliquey (because of their race or where they come from), but please don't ignore other parents who are there as well.
Our kids play together and yet there you are standing with your gang, looking intimidating to people like me!
Yes, they do look intimidating enough that I sort of learnt to ignore them as well.
I don't want to do that,really. But what do you do when you meet people who just don't want to at least smile or say hi to you.
You either gang up with other ignored parents, or you move on to different playgroups.
Now you know why I attended many playgroups over the years?
Sometimes I do think it was me. Maybe I wasn't social or friendly enough. But I do talk to other parents and share stories as well.
Well apparently I'm not the only one feeling like that. Usually I would turn to online forums and read what other parents say about the playgroups available at their area.
Plenty of nasty things too!
Oh well, it was like high school all over again. You get by. No biggie :)
Sometimes I get to meet parents who just don't want to help out in running of the playgroup sessions.
This usually applies to parents who have cliques. It is pointless asking them over and over again to help out because they will always have excuses.
There are also parents who comes to playgroups and leave their kids running around unsupervised, and relying on the playgroup leader to sort of become the childcare worker for their kids.
Again this usually applies to parents with cliques.
There was once when I changed playgroup just because the other kids were boys.
Yes, there were only 2 little girls in the group of 20 kids. The group was very good and pleasant.
But my child was constantly aggravated by the other boys who plays like boys do; rough and loud.
Plus the pushing and pulling. Err, I thought to myself maybe we could do better in a different playgroup.
Which we did.
Above all the unpleasantness that I've mentioned, participating in a playgroup is a very good experience for the child and the adult.
You'll meet people who irks you.
You'll meet people who delights you.
You'll meet people who are just wonderful.
I'm currently not doing the playgroup rounds, but I'll be very happy to give it another go once the opportunity arises in the future.
x
