Socialization

I've been accused of not giving my girls enough socialization. We live on the side of a mountain with no neighbors within sight, we only have one friend with a child that is close to our girls age and they aren't in daycare.

I've made a point, not long after Sammie was born to start going to the local story time at the library in Bucksport. Oh my holy goodness was it ever b.o.r.i.n.g! Pie needed somewhere to get her wiggles out and PLAY, especially during the winter months. We found a playgroup last winter that was very unstructured free play. It worked well to get the wiggles out but there wasn't enough guidance by all of the parent to prevent squabbles over the toys provided. I wanted Pie to learn how to play nicely, not learn to fight!

When we were in New Hamster (as Pie calls it!) we found the most fabulous story time/play group that has ever existed! The librarian sang songs, read stories, blew bubbles for each of the kids, had a parachute (and sings to go with it) and then provided some type of craft afterwards. It was awesome and both of the girls loved going. They'd ask every morning if they could go to the playgroup.

I vowed once we got home that I would keep searching until I found something as close to awesome as I could.

On Monday we went to a play group in Hampden that was described as a program for children ages three months to six years old. It is an interactive program for children and their parent/caregiver. Adults make use of our educational toys to play with their child. These toys encourage manipulative ability as well as color and letter recognition. OK, that sounds great! We got there right on time and there was one little boy playing a color sorting game with his mother. He looked up as we walked in and was quickly told to focus on what he was doing. Poor little guy was only curious about the two (adorable) little girls who had come to play "with all the little boys and girls". I was shocked. I realize that parent involvement was expected but isn't learning how to play with other kids just as important as mastering every educational game that's marketed to improve your child's whatever?

As my girls looked through the games they asked if they could play with this or that and I told them they could play with anything they wanted to including the other children. But still heard several parents reign their kids back into whatever game they were supposed to be focusing on when they ventured off toward the other children. We finally made our way across the room and ended up finding a nice older lady who was the nanny to a young girl just learning to walk. She was very nice and played with Pie.

On Tuesday we met our friends Nicole and her daughter, Cadence at the big slide park in Belfast, lunch at McDonald's and then played on the children's floor of the Belfast Free Library. Wednesday we did a little shopping in Bangor.

This morning we went back to the playgroup in Bucksport and the girls did really well. Out of 6 parents, there were 2 of us who didn't just sit along the wall while their kids ran wild. The other mom was really nice and we got along quite well. This playgroup was the extreme opposite of the one we visited on Monday but I guess by going to them both the girls get the best of both worlds.

Tomorrow we plan to hit the Discovery museum for their version of story time and "clay play".

So, if you still think my girls need socialization, I guess you really have no clue how we spend out time. I very strrongly  believe you don't have to pay a daycare or depend on public school to teach your children social skills.