Mothers Groups/Playgroup

My partner and I moved to Sydney nearly two years ago. At the time, we practically knew no one here and didn’t have any family here. I was approx 30wks pregnant and had been hesistating making the move down here (my partner got transferred down here for his work) because I felt settled in Brisbane, my friends were there and my family were only an hour away.

I had been a member of my online Mothers Group (at that time it was a due-in-August 2005 group) for five months and had built up some good relationships with the ladies online. Then within a couple of weeks moving down here, the Sydney members of my group organised a meet-up. I thought it could be a good opportunity to meet some new friends and went along.

Now nearly two years down the track, I have made some wonderful friendships out of that group. And since it started off being a due-in group, we all have kids the same age! So we’ve all been going through similar things at the same time with our kids, so its been great having people to relate to. And of course the kids have become great friends too!

I also joined another local Mothers Group after my daughter was born and made another good friend from that who I still keep in contact with and catch up when we can!

And finally, the other group I’m still currently involved with is our local playgroup. We moved to another part of Sydney in July last year and hence moved further away from the friends I’d made from my other groups. So I thought it’d be a great idea to join a group out here so Isabella and I can still regularly catch up with other Mums and kids every week. So we joined our playgroup around her first Birthday and have been members of it for the past 8mths!

We meet up every week and organise activities for the kids and morning tea for us Mums. We also go on excursions four times a year to various locations – local public farm/animal nursery, picnic lunch at botanical gardens etc. It gives the kids a chance to socialise and keeps us Mums sane obviously being able to chat to each other about what we all go through every day!

So to sum up, being a member of Mothers groups and a Playgroup has been so beneficial to both Isabella and I. It gives Isabella a chance to develop her social skills, me a chance to share my Mummy experience with other Mums, and we’ve both made great friends through it! Moving here to Sydney back in mid 2005 was daunting for me being so far into my pregnancy and not knowing anyone down here. These groups gave me a chance to find friendship and support.

So if I can offer any advice to new parents out there – join a parents group! Even if you do have friends and family around you already. Its wonderful making new friends and being able to share your parenting experiences with them!

Ky