Playground Politics

Well, I am still standing in the corner of the playground looking like the new kid in town.

I really don't know how I am going to break the ice with the other Mum's. It seems like it is an exclusive club which I do not have access to.

Anyone would think that I had two heads or my child was running around the playground hitting all the other children. Instead, Anna is being cute playing Hopscotch while I stand there trying to look like a nice person to talk to!

I am the first to admit that I am not great at making small talk with people until I get to know them. I simply can't enter a room and go up to people and start random conversations because I am utterly useless at it! It is even more intimidating when all of the mum's are standing in a huge circle with no room for me to even stand on the perimeters.

However, I fear that I am going to have to have lessons or something. I am just going to have to take a huge breath and stroll into the playground, smiling and shouting 'Hello' to anyone within the 50 mile radius. I am still not convinced it will do any good but needs must.

The problem is that they all seem to know each other in one capacity or another. Either they have attended the really popular Toddler group in the village (for children who haven't started pre-school yet), are members of the Friday Running club, meet at the stables or have older children in the school who are in the same class. That doesn't leave me with a great deal of options.

Option 1: Kidnap a toddler (aged 1 month - 3yrs). I wouldn't be very good at making small talk in prison either so that seems like a bad choice.
Option 2: Join the Running Club. You already know the answer to this one! I would be running around the first corner while they were all heading to the coffee shop after their 20 laps of the village.
Option 3: Buy a horse. Unless I want to end up with a lame horse while I sit in A and E, this isn't an option either.
Option 4: In order to get noticed, I could perform an all-singing, all-dancing act in the middle of the playground while dressed in novelty costume.

So it looks like Option 4 then.

On second thoughts, this may not be a good idea either.

To make matters worse, it seems' to be 'birthday season' and all the children are giving out party invitations. Unfortunately, none seem to be coming Anna's way. I have a horrible feeling that it is the mother's who decide on the guest list and, seeing as though I don't know them, Anna is getting overlooked!

I never seemed to have this problem at Anna's old playschool in Hoole, but then I did know some mum's who went to the Mum's and Tot's group so I already had a head start. I think it is also a symptom of village life. Everyone knows everyone else and a stranger is viewed with some suspicion and threat. James reassures me that we will no longer be viewed as the 'newcomers' in about 20 years from now. So that is something to look forward to!