Playgroup NSW volunteer Evelyn Ransom, who lives in Quakers Hill, started going to playgroup at six months old with her mum, Margaret.
Now 38 and with two children of her own -- Hayden, 3, and Zarah, 5 -- she attended two local playgroups for four years and is currently the coordinator of the Balcombe Heights Playgroup.
Margaret, who works as a midwife, sees huge benefits to attending playgroup for new mums. “It’s a good way to get out of the house every week, to socialise and, for those with post-natal depression, it can help to alleviate the effects,” she says. “Playgroup is a great way for mums to compare notes, share ideas and find comfort knowing that their experiences are both normal and common.”
Evelyn loves what she has gained from playgroup, and what she sees instilled in her children: learning to share and take turns, and having the chance from a very young age to interact and build great friendships with other children.
Margaret, meanwhile, has remained close friends with the other women she met at playgroup nearly 40 years ago. They still meet regularly for lunch, hold Christmas dinners and make sure to celebrate major milestones together, such as the birth of grandchildren. In September, they are all setting sail together on a 10-day cruise around the South Pacific.
You can also find your friend at a playgroup. Simply join a playgroup in your area.