Newbie Dad from Brentwood

[Sparky09]

Hello all, I am a 23 year old father from Brentwood with a 13 month old son. I grew up on what appears to be on this site, the very famous East Ham estate! I was originally from Kelvedon Hatch, and have for the last 3 years been living in Southend where I still work doing nights. I am currently residing at in laws ( ) in Harold Hill, while very slowly saving for a house deposit.

I look after our son on Tuesdays and Wednesdays while my wife is at work. I am looking for a playmate for my son as his niece of a similar age recently moved away and he hugely seems to miss playing with someone of a similar age. I am also looking at playgroups in the Brentwood/Harold Hill area although this is a little nerve-wracking as I imagine there won't be many men, if any there! And I get a little shy when in a group, especillay a group of women!

If anyone else is in a similar situation and is looking for a playmate for children 1-2 years old, let me know if would like to meet up. As entertaining as watching Cbeebies is, watching it while on best behaviour surrounded by in-laws waiting for any mistake to make a criticising comment can be a little excruciating! ...so just looking for someone who is also experiencing joys of young children and looking for company...thanks!

[Jeanette]

Hi Sparky.
Welcome to Essex Mums/Dads.

[Gina73]

Hi Sparky

Welcome to the site.

I am Gina, mum to Mia who is 3. Hope you manage to find some friends for your little boy.

[weezypops]

Hi, it's nice to have a Dad on the site - we have a few but they don't post much. You might like to look at the map for playgroup ideas, and you may find you're pleasantly surprised - I've been to a few groups where Dads came along and seemed to fit right in! We have coffee mornings every week (though have been a bit slack recently) and you're more than welcome to come along to one of those.

Anyway, I'm Louise, I'm 30 and live in Westcliff. I'm married to Kester, we have one son called Felix who is 21 months and a baby girl due... well, now!

[artyfartymack]

I sparky, my name is Claire and I live on the infamous EastHam estate too! My son Tom is nearly 2 and his Daddy looks after him on a Wednesday. The toddler group at St Stephens is very friendly and runs on a Friday morning. Before I went back to work we used to go and there was a SAH Dad who went along every week.

[lea-marie]

Welcome to the site!

It's nice to see another dad on here!

I'm Lea, also 23, from Corringham and mummy to Charli Lou, aged 5

As Louise mentioned, we have regular coffee mornings - the next one is at my house next Tuesday (usually kicks off about 10am) if you are interested in meeting new people You and your son are more than welcome!

[Schmushe]

Hi and welcome to essex mums / dads.

I am Michelle, SAHM to Joshua (5) and Alexa (nearly 2)

Look forward to chatting more

[XxJack~AcexX]

Hey ya and welcome to the site
Im Gemma 25 and mummy to Jack who is 3 and we live in Westcliff.
As the girls have said we quite often have meets, and is always nice to meet new people.

[fussycat]

Hi Sparky, I'm Amanda from Southend, mum to Cody who is 12 months. Welcome to the site!

[chocolatepickle]

Hi, i'm another off the estate! i take LO to a playgroup in collier row (its just off lower bedfords road) and there are quite a few men that go there on their own with their children. Its called minnie mites and has a very good website. i'm 22 with a son just a couple of months older but unfortunately i work wednesdays and thursdays!
Welcome to the site.

[mitchellmonkey]

Hi,
Welcome to the forum.
I'm Nicky, married to Grant, living in rayleigh with our 3 year old son Mitchell, we have another boy due in 14 weeks

[Sparky09]

Hey everyone, thanks for the kind welcome. It's a shame I did not join this site while I still was living in Southend, you seem to have a very friendly little community down there. I'm hoping to move back to the area in the near future so I'll bear in mind regarding the coffee meetings.

Congrats to weezypops and mitchellmonkey on your up-coming births!

ArtyFarty- Thanks, I'll be sure to check out that group at St.Stephens, my mums house is just opposite on the Broadwalk North so sounds very convenient.

Pickle-Bum - Thanks for the website, checked it out and yeah it looks very good!

[artyfartymack]

Our coffee mornings are not just in Southend it's just the way they have mapped out. Lots of us travel to each others though and I go to most of them. I have one at my house on the estate on the 12th May that you would be welcome to come to.

[lea-marie]

It's a shame I did not join this site while I still was living in Southend, you seem to have a very friendly little community down there. I'm hoping to move back to the area in the near future so I'll bear in mind regarding the coffee meetings.

The EssexMums community is pread across the whole of Essex, not just Southend

And members travel from all parts of the county to get to the coffee mornings too I used to travel from Colchester direction down to Southend etc quite regularly for meets before I moved to Corringham a few weeks ago And I don't drive either! lol

[Sparky09]

Ah I see, thats a good arrangement. Lol thats brave doing a Colchester-Southend journey, think I would need a few stress relievers first.

Owen is very good on train journeys, as long as he has a dummy. Had one early experience where he dropped it on floor almost as soon as got on train. People saw this so couldn't give it back to him (not that I would any way of cause ) so he was not impressed and cried the whole journey. Haven't quite mastered ignoring others yet (e.g. non parents/commuters who are clearly not amused at experiencing a journey with any one not wearing a suit, let alone someone under 12 )

Won't be able to make it next Tuesday Lea as I'm away on holiday, but I'll make a note of the 12th ArtyFarty, thanks for the invite