SAHM how do you socialize baby?

BabyBoyNYC · March 2012

I'm starting to feel like I need to socialize DS. We do have a couple play dates here and there and I'm starting to drop him off at the Y baby sitting service for an hour once or twice a week while I work out but he cries the whole time and they even had to come get out of my class once poor little guy

Anyways they offer a few baby classes that I thought would be good for him but they are $400! And I can't afford to pay that. But I also can't shake this guilt of having him not around other babies as much. Just wondering what you guys do or if my feelings are irrational.

amatistajoy · March 2012

I am a working mom, but a SAHM friend started a playgroup through facebook that I joined. She initially hosted the group in her home, and then we met at free events (book readings, parks) in the community.

citychicks · March 2012

I would try looking into your local parks and rec or the local school board for lower cost or free activities for babies. In our area the local school district runs a "Strong Start" program based at local schools all across the district. It started out to get lower income children ready for school and give them acess to speech pathologists, triple p parenting instructors, dental hygenists etc but they expanded to cover the whole district as mums loved it so much.

I would also head to local playgrounds. Chances are there will be a handful of first time mums there who are also looking to socialize their babies. Smile

skio · March 2012

I don't think your feelings are irrational. I don't think you should feel guilt over it, but I do think babies should be socialized, both for social skills and for helping build their immune systems up.

We do swim lessons once a week with a group of five babies (8 weeks for $160). We go to a library moms group once a week that is free. And we do playdates once every other week. We've done this since she was about 3 months old and she's very social and loves playing with other kids.

Check all your local libraries for moms groups and baby classes. Aside from swimming, I know moms that also do gymnastics and music groups with their babies, and the price is nowhere near $400 (and we're NYC-metro, too).

I also found a great group on meetup.com. And places like playscape, gymboree, even mall play areas etc. are great places to meet other moms and kids. Just make sure you go early in the day before older kids get out of school.

lorist202 · March 2012

I'm wrestling with the same dilemma. DS is at a point where he is learning and socializing so much, so quickly, and I don't feel I can keep up with all he can potentially be learning.

I'm considering going back to work part time and enrolling him in daycare. Luckily, I have looked into it, and the numbers work out in our favor. So far, I can't bring myself to do it yet. Broken Heart

kcisthebombdotcom · March 2012

We did storytime at the library at that age. We ended up doing 2-3 days a week there as we went to our local libary's one as well as 2 that were just a town over so a quick ride.

As they get older, you can do a lot more. You can do passes to the zoo/aquarium/children's museum/indoor bouncy places. The zoo/aquarium/museum passes are a one time annual fee, and the ones for indoor play places are usually a more affordable monthly fee for unlimited use ranging from $25-50.

MiamiMergers · March 2012

We found a moms group that usually meets every other week, but we've also done kindermusik, water babies, and mommy and me yoga throughout the course of the year. Nothing has ever been $400 though. Lots of the libraries and book stores also have baby story hours that are free, so we usually try to do that once a week as well. My DD also visits the gym play room when I go, so she sees kids almost every day of the week.

LovelyLou23 · March 2012

We're at church at least twice a week, and my husband and I do the music, so LO gets lots of time in the nursery to play with the other kids. I also take her to my cousin's when I can so she can play with her girls.

tokenhoser · March 2012

We go to a lot of free things. My church has a mom's group, library baby/toddler story time, I met some moms at a breastfeeding group and we take turns hosting lunches. I'm not going to spend my kid's college money on activities now. Wink

hmontty · March 2012

I'm a work-at-home mom, so basically SAH. I have her in a swimming class at the Y once a week, and she also started a music class at Gymboree this month -- the latter primarily just to get her around other kids ($73 per month). I still feel like she needs more. I am considering putting her into a half-day preschool at the local Montessori school at 18 months ($117 per week)...until she's old enough to go to the nursery school at our local church at 2.5 years ($200 per month).

BabyBoyNYC · March 2012

hmontty:
I'm a work-at-home mom, so basically SAH. I have her in a swimming class at the Y once a week, and she also started a music class at Gymboree this month -- the latter primarily just to get her around other kids ($73 per month). I still feel like she needs more. I am considering putting her into a half-day preschool at the local Montessori school at 18 months ($117 per week)...until she's old enough to go to the nursery school at our local church at 2.5 years ($200 per month).

ya i'm totally doing swimming at the Y in april

lynsef · March 2012

We go to the library a couple times per week for storytime. They have a class for DS and for DD's age group and siblings are allowed and they both have fun at each class even though it may not be their age group. We also go a pass from IL's for christmas to our local children's museum so they interact with kids there as well as the park.

GHBEA · March 2012

I have been taking LO to story time at the library twice a week since she was 7 weeks old. There is also a mothers group called MOPs I am going to check this week. They only meet once a month.

Also when winter is over we will go to the park and other toddler friendly places.

SAHM how do you socialize baby?

Re: SAHM how do you socialize baby?

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