Latest news with #playroom

My Grandson Asked The 1 Question I Was Totally Unprepared To Answer. Did I Say The Right Thing?

Yahoo

12 hours ago

Entertainment
Yahoo

My Grandson Asked The 1 Question I Was Totally Unprepared To Answer. Did I Say The Right Thing?

In the past few weeks, I've attended dozens of weddings. Luckily, I didn't need new clothing for each one. But I have been tasked with outfitting numerous guests, and even the bride and groom themselves, squeezing skimpily made garments with Velcro closures onto slender bodies. We're talking plastic bodies ― Barbies, Kens, Skippers, Chelseas and Disney princesses. Dozens of them pepper the playroom of my 4-year-old granddaughter. 'They're getting married,' is the phrase that she voices every time — and it's plenty of times — that she recruits me to 'play Barbie.' Barbie typically marries Ken, although I've also attended the weddings of Cinderella and Ken and Snow White and Ken. (Barbie must be flush with jealousy!) The marriage of Barbie and Barbie or Ken and Ken hasn't yet crossed her mind, and, honestly, I feel that it's her parents' place, not mine, to have that conversation. However, underscoring that kids' imaginations — or views of reality — vary, my 3-year-old granddaughter recently exclaimed during a bath: 'My mermaid is going to a wedding.' I couldn't help but ask, 'Who is she marrying?' 'The other mermaid,' she exclaimed, as she began washing them to prepare for the big event. My oldest grandchild, who is 8, has told me about people of the same sex getting married. When he's brought it up, I've reinforced that scenario by simply saying, 'You marry the person you fall in love with.' And I've added that not everyone gets married. Three of my four grandchildren have already gotten 'married' — only my youngest grandchild is not hitched. My third grader married a girl when they were in preschool. My Barbie aficionado married that girl's younger brother. And my other grandson, 5, recently married a girl in his kindergarten class. 'What does that mean?' I asked him. 'We kissed,' he responded. Why are these kids, like many others, obsessed with marriage at such a young age? Why is it the norm for them to imitate? I've been thinking about this for a while, but a recent incident brought these thoughts to the forefront. I was at the Target customer service counter, trying to return a youth-sized shirt I'd bought months earlier. The teenage customer service representative informed me that I couldn't return it because I had already reached my limit of receipt-less returns. But, he said, as if declaring good news, 'Your husband can come in and return it on his driver's license.' My husband? It seemed awfully presumptuous to say. I couldn't hold back, replying something about it being inappropriate to assume that everyone is married. Here's where I admit that I've been divorced for almost 18 years. So, yes, his assumption that I have a husband hit a nerve. It's not the Target employee's fault that I have baggage, but is it perhaps society's fault that the suggestion so seamlessly flew out of his mouth? According to the Current Population Survey, in 2022, an estimated 49.2% of Americans were unmarried (never married, divorced, widowed) — in other words, single! And there's nothing wrong with that. Research indicates that single people are, in general, satisfied with both singlehood and life. Given this, it astounds me that this unworldly teen assumed I was married. It also amazes me that I was told that tickets were only sold in pairs when I tried to get three tickets to an upscale magic show in New York, that the price of a single room on a Caribbean cruise was more costly than my daughter's suite for her family of four, and that almost every couple who my ex-husband and I used to socialize with on Saturday nights stopped asking me to join them on dinner dates post-divorce. I haven't been able to find studies on when 'divorce' should become part of a child's vocabulary, when it's not their own parents who are divorcing. Recently, my youngest grandson asked me why 'Grampa' and I are no longer married. He didn't use the word 'divorce,' but he knows I live alone, and his grandfather has another partner in the picture. I wasn't prepared for this question. I had to think on my feet. 'We grew apart,' I said. 'We still care about each other, and we share your Mommy and aunt, and we share you, your sister and your cousins.' (I vaguely recall my ex-husband and I saying something like that to our then college-age daughters when we announced that we were divorcing.) Did I say the right thing? How would my ex have replied? What would my daughter and son-in-law have said? My response seemed to satisfy this inquisitive kindergartner, but then he asked again two weeks later. I gave a similar response. Since then, I've decided that if he asks again, I'll likely defer the question to his parents. As a grandmother, it's hard to discern what's your news to share, as the saying goes. I'm not insisting we take the little ones out of their 'Barbie World' for now, but as they get older (like a certain teen at the Target counter), it might be good for them to learn that marriage is not always golden and that being single is a viable option in a world that's still built for two. I'm fine with being single, but even I sometimes feel uncomfortable, anxious and vulnerable when I walk into a couple-filled room. When my grandchildren become adults, I want them to feel fully 'accepted,' even if they get divorced or never choose to marry at all. Carol Steinberg is a semi-retired freelance writer and editor, and the author of a new children's book about Alzheimer's disease, ″Come Grandpa Meow, Let's Fly.' Previously, she was a longtime journalist and non-profit executive at local and national Alzheimer's organizations. Do you have a compelling personal story you'd like to see published on HuffPost? Find out what we're looking for here and send us a pitch at pitch@

‘Today was wild': Cafe owner's infuriating find in kids play area

News.com.au

06-06-2025

Business
News.com.au

‘Today was wild': Cafe owner's infuriating find in kids play area

A young business owner was left exasperated after part of her cafe was 'trashed' by children while the parent sat outside on their phone. Ruby Rule opened her first cafe in 2021 at the age of 21. Now, she owns and runs three cafes in Queensland, with the hopes of soon opening a fourth At just 25 years old, she already has a lot of experience and understands what it takes to run multiple successful businesses. Ms Rule always wants to ensure the best experience possible for her customers, which is why when she opened the Bramble Bay General in Redcliffe she wanted to make it a welcoming space for families. Speaking to she said having a playroom inside the cafe was always part of the vision when opening the venue. It is located across from a popular playground and Ms Rule wanted to bounce off that and make her cafe a proper destination for families. 'The goal was to provide a space where parents could enjoy a coffee while their kids played safely in a calm environment,' she said. The business owner put a lot of effort into curating the space, filling the room with books, wooden toys, a play kitchen, a doll house and colouring table. So, when she entered the playroom during a recent busy rush to find it destroyed, she was at a loss for how to approach the situation. Ms Rule took to TikTok to share her predicament, asking at what point is it 'appropriate for me to remind parents that their children are not my responsibility and our cafe is not a daycare centre'. She added: 'I really believe in creating a safe welcoming space for both parents and kids. But when I tell you, today was wild.' Ms Rule explained a customer had come into the cafe with two kids and 'shooed' them into the playroom, before going outside and scrolling on his phone. 'These kids trashed the playroom. They pulled out each drawer, they pulled everything out of the cupboards, threw every toy everywhere, books off the shelves, board games scattered, snapped the pencils and poured pencil shavings all over the rugs, so badly that I had to pick it up and take it home to clean,' the business owner said. She made the discovery in the middle of a 'massive rush', meaning she had to take her attention away from helping at the counter to quickly tidy the room as she was worried the mess would reflect poorly on the cafe. There are already signs up outside the playroom reminding parents to watch their children and tidy the area before they leave. However, while most parents are considerate, there are still those that let their kids run rampant. In her video, Ms Rule asked if it was OK for her to post a friendly reminder to parents on their social media, or whether doing so would make them 'look like a bad cafe'. 'I really do want to keep offering this space and this service but only if everyone chips in a little bit. At this point, it feels like I have to hire another staff member just to look after the kids room,' she said. The video quickly gained over 900 comments, with the vast majority of people horrified at the father's negligence and telling Ms Rule she is within her rights to remind parents about the playroom rules. 'Totally OK to post! Some parents need a reality check,' one person said. Others branded the parent 'disrespectful' and 'entitled', with some even going as far as to say they should be charged a cleaning fee. However, there were those that thought posting a reminder to parents on social media was not a good idea. 'The majority of your customers are doing the right thing and will be turned off by the cafe calling everyone out. You should have addressed it directly with the parents,' one person said. There were others who agreed that, while leaving the room trashed was unacceptable, the cafe owner should have spoken to the parent directly. Ms Rule responded to one of these comments explaining that, by the time she realised what had happened to the playroom, the man had already left with his two children. Another person suggested the business owner could talk to the kids herself and encourage them to pick up after themselves with a 'clean up song'. However, the 25-year-old rightfully pointed out that she is too busy making coffee and doing her job to ensure someone else's children pick up after themselves. After sharing he video, a few of Ms Rule's staff revealed to her that this isn't the first time the playroom had been left in a mess, with similar incidents happening in the past that she had not been made aware of. 'It turns out this kind of thing has happened a lot more than I realised, but this time I witnessed it myself and decided we needed to finally say something,' she told In the end, she decided to post a gentle reminder to parents on the business' Instagram story, which was received in a very positive light from parents and fellow small business owners. 'Owning a cafe like this, we really try to go the extra mile to create something special for our community. Small business owners wear so many hats, we're doing the cleaning, the planning, the marketing, the prep,' she said. 'So when we put time and energy into a space that's genuinely thoughtful and welcoming, it means a lot to see that space respected. We'll always do our best to keep offering these experiences, but it does need to be a shared effort with our customers.'

A Children's Playroom Fit for Future Knicks? Yes, There's a Basketball Hoop.

New York Times

31-05-2025

Entertainment
New York Times

A Children's Playroom Fit for Future Knicks? Yes, There's a Basketball Hoop.

Josh Hart's Children's Playroom, Mini Basketball Hoop Included

New York Times

23-05-2025

Entertainment
New York Times

Josh Hart's Children's Playroom, Mini Basketball Hoop Included

With the New York Knicks in a thrilling playoff run, player Josh Hart's nearly 1 million followers on Instagram are probably paying close attention to his each and every post. Mr. Hart, of course, has his own favorite Instagram accounts to follow. And last summer, before the 2024-25 N.B.A. season got underway, one of those accounts belonged to Greenwich Play, a playroom design company. Mr. Hart and his wife, Shannon Hart, wanted to design a compelling playroom for their twins, Haze and Hendrix, now 2, and they admired the company's take on development-focused play spaces awash in climbing structures, art stations and imaginary play areas. After moving into a house in Harrison, N.Y., in Westchester County, they decided it was time to get in touch. 'We wanted to build a space that was 100 percent dedicated to our kids, where they can run around and explore without us worrying about them,' Mr. Hart recently shared over email in between playoff games. 'We just wanted to make a really comfortable, cozy place that they always want to go to,' Ms. Hart said in a separate interview. Mr. Hart got in touch with Greenwich Play with a direct message on Instagram, and Ms. Hart followed up with a visit to the company's showroom in Old Greenwich, Conn., which doubles as a space for play-focused classes for children ages 6 months to 3 years. 'I went to their showroom and just fell in love with it,' Ms. Hart said, so she and Mr. Hart hired the company to collaborate on their dream playroom. They identified a 250-square-foot upstairs bedroom, directly across the hall from their sons' bedroom, as the ideal location, rather than using their basement. That way, it would be easily accessible to their children, and 'Shannon and I also have a place where we can relax and enjoy time as a family,' Mr. Hart noted. The team at Greenwich Play split the room into different play zones, said Courtney Gault, the company's founder. 'They wanted some gross-motor movement, they wanted pretend play, they wanted general play,' Ms. Gault said. 'The biggest consideration for the Hart family, specifically, was that we wanted the space to provide organic moments for them to collaborate and play together, but also for the kids to independently work their way through the room.' The resulting room includes a climbing structure from Brainrich Kids; an imagination corner that includes a play kitchen and costume wall; a section of magnetic wall with magnetic tiles; a child-size work table for puzzles and art projects; storage shelves and bins for loose toys; and, yes, a pint-size basketball hoop above padded wall panels. Ms. Gault and her team also brought in a few new products Greenwich Play has in development. Across one wall, they installed a wallpaper-based mural depicting New York sights, including Central Park, yellow taxis and the Manhattan Bridge, which they developed with the artist Tess Ramirez. The wallpaper is scheduled to be part of a collection that the home décor retailer Pepper Home introduces this September. In one corner, they installed a modular sectional sofa designed to be cushy and hard-wearing enough for rambunctious children but also supportive enough for grown-ups. The modules that make up the sofa can be pushed together or pulled apart, and moved around the room, depending on how the family wants to play. Named the Coop Couch, Greenwich Play plans to introduce the sofa system as a product line later this year. It took about four months for the company to design and make all the pieces for the Harts' playroom, and the final installation took about a week. It was finished this past January and immediately became Haze and Hendrix's favorite place. 'They are absolutely obsessed with that room,' Ms. Hart said. 'They can learn, they can play, they can climb. It's perfect.'

Amy Childs ‘mum shamed' as she shows off kids' new playroom with worrying detail

The Sun

09-05-2025

Entertainment
The Sun

Amy Childs ‘mum shamed' as she shows off kids' new playroom with worrying detail

TOWIE star Amy Childs has been given an urgent warning by fans after she showed off her kids' new playroom. The mum-of-four shared a first look at her and fiance Billy Delbosq's newly-renovated playroom at their £1.7m Essex mansion. 4 4 The room boasts marble flooring, white walls and a cream sofa with a statement drop chandelier. Amy was keen to give her fans a tour and shared a video on her social media page. But some concerned followers have reminded Amy to be vigilant when it comes to oversharing details of their property. One fan quickly warned: " You're just giving home intruders maps of your home, why?? You have children yes, you have a lush house, yes. Keep your family home private please, I don't want anything horrible to happen to your beautiful family.' While some were more confused about the decor which made it feel like a showroom. This person said: "Feels cold and not lived." A third wrote: "The marble tiles give me so much anxiety with the small kids running up and down." "Beautiful room…but play room it definitely is not," a fourth said. Amy Childs slammed for taking daughter, 7, to Sabrina Carpenter concert, as people say it's way too 'raunchy' for kids Amy moved into "dream home" with her family last May. But as Amy took to social media to show off her lavish five-bedroom mansion, she found herself at the centre of controversy. The Only Way Is Essex star has moved to the home with fiance Billy Delbosq, their twins Milly and Billy, and Amy's kids Polly and Ritchie. As they find their feet in the property, Amy has been sharing snaps and videos of their new house on her social media pages. In a recent TikTok, Amy took the camera down the stairs, at the bottom of which was a glass panel blocking off the floor below. "I will never get bored of this…" Amy captioned the video. And while countless fans were quick to congratulate Amy on her new abode, others had something to say about raising children in the house. "Beautiful but all I can see is someone falling down the stairs and through the glass," one wrote. "Such a beautiful home but gives me pure mum anxiety of the kids climbing over the glass," another added. "Oh it's beautiful but my anxiety would be too much for the stairs and glass!" a third commented. "Stunning, lucky girl.. although I'd be having visions of falling through the glass," someone else sighed, adding "I'm clumsy!" "First thing i thought when i saw another commented. "The anxiety of stairs and falling," someone else wrote. In other videos, Amy showed off her huge open plan kitchen and dining room, as well as a cinema room and massive garden.