Champak Pol Posted April 13, 2006 Share Posted April 13, 2006 Are there any mum/dad/ toddler groups in south west france? We are located in the midi pyrenees. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joy1 Posted April 13, 2006 Share Posted April 13, 2006 When i asked my French friends about Mum/ Dad /toddler groups here in Le Havre, they had never heard about such things! (These are young Mums themselves). I would be interested to know if there are any elsewhere in France. I hope you find one Nathalie, if not how about starting one yourself? You could begin by inviting other mums around for a coffee and for the kids to play and take it from there.Best wishes Joyanne[:)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teamedup Posted April 13, 2006 Share Posted April 13, 2006 Ask at your local Centre Sociale or Mairie or Maison des Habitants. None around here at all and this all sounds very non french to me. Just not the done thing really. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SaligoBay Posted April 13, 2006 Share Posted April 13, 2006 Nathalie and Joyanne,Don't forget that most (all?) French toddlers will be at maternelle school from age 2½ or 3, so they'll only be around on Wednesdays. There's not so much need for get-togethers.TU, isn't it funny how these places are called different names in different parts? Our village umbrella organisation for activités is the Foyer des Jeunes. There are two community buildings in the village, the Maison pour Tous and the Maison des Associations.Other villages have an MJC instead, Maison de Jeunesse et de Culture, I think. There are others too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joy1 Posted April 13, 2006 Share Posted April 13, 2006 When I say Mums/Dads/toddlers in pracice this usually includes mums with tiny babies in the Uk. My French mums are very keen to start a group and agree that there is a real need for new Mums (or Dads) at home with little children to have the opportunity to get together for a chat and a coffee. i know that when my two children were small it was a "lifeline " to me!!! in the Uk as well most children over 3 now attend nursey or pre-school but for those under this age it's a great opportunity to socialise- parents as well as the children! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teamedup Posted April 13, 2006 Share Posted April 13, 2006 We used to have an MJC but it shut and the Maison des Habitants has only been open a few years now. The Maison des Assoc are generally in the towns around here. When I moved to France I was shocked that mothers would go back to work when their babies were weeks or months old. Most did and still do. Wasn't like that in England, chez nous before I left, so the cultural difference was flagrant. I know that things have changed in the UK since. I am very surprised that there is a group of french mums who don't work and would need this sort of thing. All the parents I know with babes and toddlers seem to lead hectic lives and are not at home during the day time. What people around here wanted was somewhere to dump their offspring from time to time and there is now a creche. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joy1 Posted April 13, 2006 Share Posted April 13, 2006 There is a definate need here! Perhaps because we live on the edge of a city? There are quite a lot of Mums here , in Le Havre,who do not work. i also know several families from other countries ( outside EU) who do not have papers and are unable to work. For these families having a chance to meet up for a coffee and chat is a real need. In the Uk in our small midlands town there were many "Mums and babies" groups, each with lots of attendees. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deby Posted April 13, 2006 Share Posted April 13, 2006 When I lived in Grenoble (SE France) there were 3 things on offer. The CAF provided an excellent play group, full of the latest top quality toys, paints, crafts etc, it was a chance for mothers with new babies to get together as well mothers who did not work. There were puericultrices/various nursery nurses available giving advice etc. The age range was 0 - 4years, you could even leave your child/baby with them for 2 hours and go for a coffee and have some 'me' time, you were even encouraged to go and get your hair cut! It cost 1Euro and included free teas/coffee and biscuits!! It was frequented alot by ex-pats, but the french did use it as well, but it is true, most french women tend to return to work by 3 months. Unfortunately, where I lived in the SW albeit rural no equivalent existed and judging by some of the other comments on here, these type of things are rare, I did not realise how lucky I had been.The other was a similar thing but this time ran by a group of mothers who started an association and used the facilities of the MJC. This had a ball pit, indoor climbing frame, toys galore etc. Parent 'aise (a play on words in french, as the French seem to like this).Finally, there was an ex-pat association that got themselves organised - Open House, by providing a mother and toddler group as well as a baby group.So things do exist, but if not try and start one yourself.Bon Chance! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quillan Posted April 20, 2006 Share Posted April 20, 2006 3 - The moderators have been in contact with the originator of this post and have temporarily banned them from the forum and locked this thread until such time as they receive a satisfactory response after which the ban and lock may be removed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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