FairProspects Posted October 28, 2009 Share Posted October 28, 2009 We are part of a playgroup of 4 families that is supposed to meet weekly through a local Moms group. Of the families, 2 have public school K'ers and 2 of us are homeschoolers. The other homeschool family runs a business out of their home for extra income. The problem is that although this is supposed to be week 9 of playgroups, we have yet to all make it to a group! Playgroup has been cancelled multiple times, and the times it has been held it has been us and one other child. I can understand illnesses, but most of the time something has come up at the public school, or the hsling family has to work (like today, when they cancelled 10 min. before playgroup was supposed to start). I want to be sensitive to other people's schedules, but this is the only consistent social activity I have planned for my dc. My ds was crying this morning when he found out he wouldn't get to play with the other kids. The other families all have public school or the YMCA or soccer or something so I don't think it is as important to them as it is to our family. Would it be fair for me to ask the other families to commit to playgroup or else allow us to bail on the group? I can find a co-op of other homeschooling families for social activities or something, but I can't keep going through this every week, and my kids do need someplace to be with other kids. What would you do? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted October 28, 2009 Share Posted October 28, 2009 "Allow" you to bail??? :001_huh: I'd be outta there, looking for a homeschool support group (not necessarily a co-op). ETA: A weekly park day would be too much for *me*. I prefer monthly park days. Other social activities include field trips and whatnot. But *I* could not commit to a weekly park day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BikeBookBread Posted October 28, 2009 Share Posted October 28, 2009 "Allow" you to bail??? :001_huh: I'd be outta there, looking for a homeschool support group (not necessarily a co-op). :iagree: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WTMCassandra Posted October 28, 2009 Share Posted October 28, 2009 You need a larger base for a playgroup, especially if you are relying on it. (The others clearly aren't.) If this were me, I would find a way, any way, to expand the base of people, whether that be quitting this group and finding another, or inviting several other people to this one. Last year our church did a playgroup day, but there are about eight families, so there was usually at least SOMEONE there. It worked fairly well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mommyof4ks Posted October 29, 2009 Share Posted October 29, 2009 Could you meet at a park or other public area that way if no one else showed up then at least there would someone there for your kids to play with. My kids can always make a few 'playgroud' friends when we go there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kalanamak Posted October 29, 2009 Share Posted October 29, 2009 Could you meet at a park or other public area that way if no one else showed up then at least there would someone there for your kids to play with. My kids can always make a few 'playgroud' friends when we go there. When kiddo was that age, hubby hit the park about the same time each day, and kiddo got to know those who were there at that time. Now that he's going to a skateboard park, again, all the younger boys are getting to know each other, even with some inter-house visits. Find a popular park, bring a book (don't glue yourself to a cell phone), and also get up and play some. You'll find some regulars. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Home'scool Posted October 29, 2009 Share Posted October 29, 2009 I have found this to be a homeschool thing. It is so hard to plan *anything* because it seems people bail at the slightest provocation. I guess it goes with the lifestyle. One time my girlfriend and I set up a three day public speaking course. We had run it the year before with great results. We made sure to state that it was very important that everyone be there all 3 days because so many of the activities were team activities and so many skills were based on things learned the day before. Sure enough, one kid bailed the 2nd day. Just "woke up weepy" and "didn't want to do it". This kid was 13. We also used to have a weekly gym class that we paid a lot for. I can't tell you how many times parents wouldn't show because it was a cloudy day and they felt like staying home and snuggling, or someone felt "blue" or blah blah blah. Try playing flag football or soccer with 4 kids. I think homeschooling movement would gain a lot more credibility if people were just a wee bit more reliable! I am all for the flexibility of homeschooling, but some parents really take it to the extreme. To me, once you make a commitment then you should follow through on it, barring an emergency. So many things that could have been great homeschool experiences - field trips, classes, play dates - turned out lame because only 1 or 2 other people show up. I stopped organizing field trips to the museum because it got embarrassing to confirm with the museum that 10 would show, and then that day straggle in with only 2 and have to say that no one else would be coming. It certainly makes a bad impression. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NavyWifeandMommy Posted October 29, 2009 Share Posted October 29, 2009 I use to try to set up playdates and field trips with more than one family and they hardly panned out. If I was in your shoes, I'd stop going and find a new way to get out and play. I take the kids the playground at a certain time throught the week because I know when the school kids will be there. I have even started going to the library in the afternoons closer to when school is out because my oldest has found girls there to talk with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LaxMom Posted October 29, 2009 Share Posted October 29, 2009 I have found this to be a homeschool thing. It is so hard to plan *anything* because it seems people bail at the slightest provocation. I guess it goes with the lifestyle. ... I can't tell you how many times parents wouldn't show because it was a cloudy day and they felt like staying home and snuggling' date=' or someone felt "blue" or blah blah blah. ... I think homeschooling movement would gain a lot more credibility if people were just a wee bit more reliable! I am all for the flexibility of homeschooling, but some parents really take it to the extreme. To me, once you make a commitment then you should follow through on it, barring an emergency. So many things that could have been great homeschool experiences - field trips, classes, play dates - turned out lame because only 1 or 2 other people show up. I stopped organizing field trips to the museum because it got embarrassing to confirm with the museum that 10 would show, and then that day straggle in with only 2 and have to say that no one else would be coming. It certainly makes a bad impression.[/quote'] :iagree: We have to explicitly tell people that co-op is not a drop-in affair, that they are committed to the 6-week session (obviously barring any illness or family vacation or whatnot). I am amazed at the number of people we have had want to join but also wanted to decide each Friday morning if they were coming. And, frankly, I think that it's a playgroup makes it worse as far as getting people to commit. "Play" is whimsical, you know? It becomes an optional activity. I would look for a co-op in your area. Most around here at least have "nursery" for the little ones, and do K & up classes. (At ours, we do a pre-K program for the 2-4 set, too, because in our experience there is such a thing as too much free play and the kids start getting bored and hitting each other. ) And, yes, it would be so much better for public relations if people who signed up showed up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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