How much time with other kids.

[shellbell3]

I'm just wondering how much time should a toddler be spending with other children. DD is nearly 19 months and at present we go to mums group every week for about 2-2.5hrs, most weeks we go to gymbaroo and occasionally we catch up with friends bubs or DD's cousins. Is that enough?
Its just cause I've noticed lately that mums I know who don't work are looking into putting there kids into childcare or have already done so just so they can have that time to spend with other kids. Personally I can't afford to pay for a whole day of childcare unless I went and worked an extra shift to pay for it. DD will go into kinder when she gets to that age but for the moment is what she is having enough?

[teachmum]

imo what your doing is enough. Your doing a lot of socialising just by taking your dd on your errands. What I liked about being with my kids when they were playing with others was that I could be there to help them learn the social rules. My dd was a bit of a pusher and I was able to use a positive approach to help stop it which they may not have had the time to do in childcare.

[Trillian]

I never did anything more with my children other than a weekly trip to playgroup for 2hrs. I just didn't think they needed the 'socialising', they were well adjusted and played with our friends children and other children we saw socially quite well so it wasn't a concern for us.

I think your DD has a great variety of social settings and 'social rules' (thanks teachmum) can be taught anywhere.

[shellbell3]

Thanks for the replies. I thought she was having enough but started to doubt myself when everyone I met or knew were talking about childcare for socialising. I used to think to myself years ago when we were kids it was rare kids went into childcare and we all turned out ok!

[Trillian]

Everyone will have a different idea as to what their childs needs are and if they think childcare is the best way to socialise their children then they will do that, but it really isn't necessary to go to that extent. even just going to a park and playing is socialising them.

[DoubleK]

i think your DD has plenty of contact with other littlies!

i wouldnt worry about childcare for socialising for Krystal, i have arranged working around dp's hours, to avoid childcare altogether.
we also do gymbaroo, and still meet with our mums group.

trips to the park, swimming even just out to the shops seem to keep Krystal happy!!

[AnyDream]

I wonder if they were really in childcare for socialising, or because the mums felt like they needed time out but weren't game to say it because they thought it sounded selfish...better to phrase it like they are doing it for the child LOL. I've always been happy to say that DD was in FDC to give me some 'me time'.

[Lucy]

As I mentioned earlier, we utilise the library story time. It is wonderful: some songs, a story, then a craft activty that links to the story.

Olivia's "best friend" is a little girl she met at the library....we see them once a week, and I have become really close friends with the mum.

So I am a big advocate of library services!