Playgroups

[sunnydays]

I used to attend regular community playgroups with my daycare twice a week and we enjoyed going. Since I now have two little ones who need morning nps, it isn't fitting into our schedule right now, so we have stopped. I had planned to resume going once these little ones grow out of their morning naps (or at least transition to shorter mornign naps), but now I am having second thoughts as I have noticed that since we stopped going to the playgroups, the kids have not gotten sick at all versus the continuous colds and flus we had before. I am just curious about how others deal with this? Go anyway and don't worry about the sickness or avoid playgroups/playplaces etc? I am not a germaphobe, but I hate the constant sickness!

[playfelt]

I don't do playgroups with my gang - again little and that is one of the advantages I tell parents is that their little one can have a morning nap as long as they need it since we stay put. When I did go I found it wasted so much of the morning and once there they had access to what we had at home give or take a few items. Under 2 aren't social beings anyways and do parallel play so don't really care that others are in the room. Staying home is a much more relaxed morning for us with a lot of flexibility.

As far as the germs go I would think it is a source of germs simply because if a caregiver likes to go to playgroup they are not going to stay home even if one of the kids - her own included likely - seems a bit under the weather. Good enough to be at daycare but in a room of lots of other kids much more is spread around. As well they are coming into contact with a dozen kids all passing a germ around so their defences can only fend off so many at a time whereas at your house they are only fending of germs from a couple other kids at a time.

[Momof4]

We go the the Children's Library for a storytime once a week and the children play with the train table and all the toys. We go to parks and the slides and climbing equipment are covered with germs I'm sure. It doesn't matter where you go or what you do if you leave your house you are going to be in contact with germs. You can't live in a bubble.

[sunnydays]

It is definitely more relaxing to stay home with them and for the babies, it is better because they have a clean safe environment to crawl around in and explore. But I used to go out and I have a 2 1/2 year old who I feel would benefit from the social interaction. I am still going to librarytime once a week as we all love that and there aren't as many toys to spread germs. I am just on the fence about playgroups. I think I will also still brave the playplace now and then...I think the problem with the playgroups is the toys, which the kids all mouth and then share. It's worse than slides and climbers which are touched by hands, but not usually mouthed. In the summer we go to the park every single day, so that is no issue and I am certainly not into keeping them in a bubble.

I don't do playgroups with my gang - again little and that is one of the advantages I tell parents is that their little one can have a morning nap as long as they need it since we stay put. When I did go I found it wasted so much of the morning and once there they had access to what we had at home give or take a few items. Under 2 aren't social beings anyways and do parallel play so don't really care that others are in the room. Staying home is a much more relaxed morning for us with a lot of flexibility.

As far as the germs go I would think it is a source of germs simply because if a caregiver likes to go to playgroup they are not going to stay home even if one of the kids - her own included likely - seems a bit under the weather. Good enough to be at daycare but in a room of lots of other kids much more is spread around. As well they are coming into contact with a dozen kids all passing a germ around so their defences can only fend off so many at a time whereas at your house they are only fending of germs from a couple other kids at a time.

[mom-in-alberta]

I think it would depend on the age of the kids, for me. If I had all 3yr olds, for sure I would be out and about more. For one thing; it's easier to get out of the house with the older kids. For another, they are past that stage where they put everything in their mouth. I would have a breakdown trying to chase a bunch of babies around at a public place, pulling things out of the mouth. Ugh...

[playfelt]

There are plenty of places for parents to take the kids in the evenings and on weekends for social playtime so I don't feel that is my responsibility beyond the group that is in daycare. More hassles than it is worth.