(edit title) Staying sane on maternity leave in Stockholm At home with a baby and avoiding getting isolated Options

[dzsosszika]

I have a job opportunity in Stockholm and am considering relocating from Hungary to live in Stockholm with my partner and two children (6 months and 2.5 years old).

My partner is at home on maternity leave with our 6 month old child at the moment and plans to stay at home for the next 12-18 months as she did with our first child. She's concerned that she will be isolated without family and friends around and has heard it is hard to get to know people without knowing Swedish.

Can anyone share their experiences, or offer any advice of how to try to avoid this?

Thanks for any help you can offer.

[Social Hypocrisy]

Hmmmm, Self resiliance is the key! Ive been here 8 years now and my experience is that while they cant stop you comming, a lot of people wont go out of their way to make you feel comfortable... quiet the opposite really.

How matter what you do, you will ALWAYS be considered an outsider here... that the simple truth!

The solution is to not give a sh*t!!!

Im sure you have plenty of friends back home so remember that fitting here has nothing to do with popularity or your worth as a human.

You need to make a consious decision.

If you are younge, want to make loads of friends and go out parting all the time, you are better of staying in your own country.

If you do move here you will have to create your own fun, and have the thick skin of a Rhino.

Dont come here expecting to fit in... that way you loose here!

[tuborgian]

There are loads of things going in Stockholm for children and parents on parental leave.

The Stockholm International Parents Meetup Group is very active. They have lots of meet ups with parents and children most days of the week doing lots of different activities. They are very friendly and do a range of things from meeting up for a fika and chat to taking advantage of the various family activities in Stockholm.

http://www.meetup.com/The-Stockholm-Intern...y-Meetup-Group/

Also there is a forum - mums in sweden, which is good for advice and they occasionally have meet ups too.

www.mumsinsweden.com

There are lots of öppna förskolar all around Stockholm. These are playgroups (usually there is a fee of about 30 kr for tea, coffee and food) where parents bring their kids to play during the mornings. They run everyday from monday to thursday. They are swedish speaking, but I'm sure that the mums (it is usually mums, with the odd dad) will be more than happy to speak in english, or you wife could use it as an opportunity to practise swedish. There is an english-speaking playgroup at högalids church on Södermalm every friday.

http://www.hogalidhedgehogs.com/

Keep your eyes peeled and you will see lots of family events all over Stockholm: family days in parks and storytelling in shops and libraries. The health care for children takes place at the BVC (barnavårdscentral) and there is one in every area, will be good for advice and has parent groups and courses. Your wife should go there straight away anyway for your youngest - I'm not sure at what age children stop going to the BVC for check ups.

Stockholm is a brilliant place for familes and kids. I hope everything works out for you

[Gchinese]

Tuborgian really provided you a good reply. I am staying at home with my 8 months old now and am doing exactly what Tuborgian's advices. They maybe won't give you much as a mom but at least your children will get a lot of mingling, playing and learning.

[dzsosszika]

Thank you tuborgian and Gchinese for your constructive advice. Fortunately Social Hypocrisy we are not party animals . I really appreciate you taking the time to help.