seanyg

Does anyone know if mums 'n' tods groups / coffee mornings are as prevalent in Canada as they are over here in the UK? Particularly in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia (though I'm sure other posters would be equally interested to hear about other provinces too).

Thanks,

Anita

Judy in Calgary

I've never lived in the UK, so I can't compare. When my kids were young, they and I participated in a parent and tot playgroup in Calgary that was called Observation Nursery. It's since been renamed Parents and Children Together (PACT). It's popular all across North America. Here is the PACT website for Dartmouth, NS, for example.

susanmom

Hi
In England we went to NCT ones a lot, there is nothing similar here (but don't get me started on the Canadian lack of interest in Natural childbirth/home births, etc)......
In Winnipeg there are various drop in sessions run by the city and listed in the City Leisure guide, so I would advise you to call up your local municipality/city/whatever you have there.
I would also check if you have a local version of the www.usedeverywhere.com site and post a request for anyone who knows about one to let you know.
Another option is to look on yahoo, and see if there is a local yahoo group - there is one in Winnipeg that seems to list local mum's get togethers.

Susan

comet555

You could look here to see if there's any moms groups in your area:
http://www.meetup.com/

l i s a

Hi

From a NS, HRM (Halifax Regional Municipality) perspective........

There are drop ins for parent/carers and little ones pretty much every day of the week in HRM Rec Centres and or Libraries. I am off to one in a few mins. Try:
www.halifax.ca/recreation/centres

My son is 2.5 and I have found that any really organised class i.e art, and the tumble tots type stuff starts at age 3. Swimming and skating classes are available from age 2.

Also, try this relatively new website which I think is perhaps the sort of thing you are looking for:
www.hrmparent.ca
also:
www.onthegrowcentre.com

It doesn't seem to be the done thing here to have 'coffee mornings', someone may correct me? Saying that, I have invited, some personally and some through other friends about 8 mums to my place this Wed - so we will see how it goes.

hth
Lisa

Oakvillian

Here in the suburban wastelands of the outer GTA my OH has found a really good support network through the Moms & Tots group run by the Newcomers Club. Some of the thinking behind the Newcomers foundation is a little old-fashioned (it seems to be aimed squarely at stay-at-home wives & partners of busy newly-relocated menfolk...) but it has proved a great way to get to know the local area and to find a group of like-minded people (small children, new location, unfamiliar processes) to share adult discussion over coffee. The way it works here is that a small group meets once a week for a morning playgroup, circulating between each others' houses week to week, and with an occasional foray to an indoor play space (or public park in summertime).

The organization is nationwide (in fact it's international) and has some groups in NS and NB, though I don't know if they operate the same way as the Oakville one. More info here (NB)and here (NS)

manghams

We've been here since early December; I have found a Drop in for Mums and Tots at the local college; its a bit more formal than a mums and toddlers group, but my little one loves it - personally I haven't made any friends there yet. Plus you dont get to meet mums at school (SK kid) because they are nearly all bussed?

I'm open to other suggestions for meeting people.

ross&carolyn

I was an NCT teacher in England and the lack of anything similar leaves me at a total loss. I just had to pay $4000 to hire a midwife for my 4th baby!

seanyg

thanks for all that info (any any more welcome!) - I want to make sure there'll be something for me to do in the day with my baby / somewhere to get out and about and meet people so I don't fall prey to the loneliness / home-sickness that I hear affects so many stay-at-home moms when they emigrate...!

"Ross&Carolyn" - can you not give birth in a Canadian hospital on the Medicare system (i.e. free of charge)? We may have another child out there (depending on how long it takes to get out there, of course) and I was told that it's free to give birth...??

Thanks, Anita :-)