Think about this for a moment:
Are you new to the idea of Playgroup? What would you say playgroup was all about?
And Playgroup Mums – before you found playgroup what did you think it was?
Chances are, most of you would answer ‘a place to take my kids for some fun each week’. Maybe you thought it was a good place for the kids to play or to socialize because they didn’t have siblings at home.
Playgroups all for the kids right?
Well, it can be all these things, and a whole lot more. Once parents know what goes on at playgroup, most of you go for your own social benefit, not for the kids. How do we know? A research paper conducted by Dr Bronwyn Harman of the Edith Cowan University called "The Good Mother Syndrome and Playgroup" found just that.
Barbara Bryan of www.singlemum.com.au sums up the article on her own site:
The report found that Playgroup gives mothers the opportunity to regularly compare their parenting (good or bad), and normalises their parenting experiences, rather than leaving them feeling that they have to live-up to expectations set by the media's unrealistic portrayal of "the good mother". Also, that Playgroup offers peer support on many levels, depending on the children's age, as well as the particular Playgroup's location, and group-dynamics.
For single parents, attending Playgroup can be of even greater importance to mums themselves. Single mums from the www.singlemotherforum.com echoed the mother-first research results. They cited that their reasons for going to Playgroup were primarily "to talk to an adult for a change and get a break from my daughter", "For company - it gets lonely with just me and my son" and "To be with people that want to talk about all the woes of young children...".
If you’re interested in the report, you can read it here.
Don’t care about the facts and figures, but want to enter the wonderful world of Playgroup? With over 8,500 playgroups meeting each week around Australia, chances are there’s one not far from you. You can attend the first three sessions for free until you find the group that’s right for you. Find out how you can join a playgroup by contacting your state playgroup association on 1800 171 882.