To the parents of people with young children (Pittsburgh: daycare, childcare)

[Raven1976]

Originally Posted by jay5835

"parents of people with young children" = grandparents, no?

hmm maybe I worded that wrong lol

[ML North]

Originally Posted by Raven1976

What do you wish was around PIttsburgh for the 1-5 year old range?

Jobs, jobs, jobs! Have 'em pitch in with the bills a little, you know?

[30STM]

Originally Posted by Hopes

I knew someone who had an idea for the Squirrel Hill area. It would be an extremely expensive startup though.

Basically, it was an activities complex coupled with a mommy world on the second floor, with things like a hair/nail salon, coffee shop, restaurant, and even a bar that served alcohol, that looked down into the kids area on the first floor. Through windows the mothers could watch their child participate in organized activities while the mothers enjoyed socializing in an adult setting with one another.

Sounds nutty? Like nobody would want that? Trust me, mommies in Squirrel Hill want that! If someone could raise the money to create this mega mommy children's complex, they'd be very successful.

I guess someone could translate that into a smaller scale business by coupling one activity (like dance classes or gymnastic classes) with one adult business (like a coffee shop or a nail salon) that was separated by glass, allowing the mommies a comfortable, separate place to enjoy adult time while they watched their children participate in the activity.

get drunk while your kids play...lol........sounds a bit bias against men may want to call it PARENT WORLD.

[Tiger Beer]

Originally Posted by Hopes

I knew someone who had an idea for the Squirrel Hill area. It would be an extremely expensive startup though.

Basically, it was an activities complex coupled with a mommy world on the second floor, with things like a hair/nail salon, coffee shop, restaurant, and even a bar that served alcohol, that looked down into the kids area on the first floor. Through windows the mothers could watch their child participate in organized activities while the mothers enjoyed socializing in an adult setting with one another.

Sounds nutty? Like nobody would want that? Trust me, mommies in Squirrel Hill want that! If someone could raise the money to create this mega mommy children's complex, they'd be very successful.

I guess someone could translate that into a smaller scale business by coupling one activity (like dance classes or gymnastic classes) with one adult business (like a coffee shop or a nail salon) that was separated by glass, allowing the mommies a comfortable, separate place to enjoy adult time while they watched their children participate in the activity.

I see something like that in Japan. They basically create these 'play rooms' in Japan at the mall. You check your kid in there, and than mom does whatever. The staff watches the kids, and sometimes plays with them and entertains them too.

Basically the mom runs around the mall and does whatever. Carries a 'beeper' the entire time as well...just in case.

They are also enclosed by partial plexiglass (or something similar) to a certain height. So if Mom (or Dad) wants to, they can sit around the outside looking in...or they can even go in and play with them as well.

Pretty much all the toys you can find in many toy stores, are also in these play rooms as well. Keeps kids entertained for hours.

[BrianTH]

There are a few stores in the area with such play areas (I know of at least some Giant Eagles and the Ikea).

[Hopes]

I'll bet what they have at a mall in Japan is a grander scale than the rooms at GE and Ikea.

[Raven1976]

SOunds like a good idea. You can have those beepers like at Olive Garden and other restaurants and then it could be more than a playroom. They could have specific science, math , art, language activities, at various times throughout the day.

[Hopes]

Like going on Disney cruise! You leave your child and they give you a beeper. You don't even need to stay on the ship!

It was such an exciting idea for us, but our children didn't like being left. We only managed to escape at port once to go buy some essentials we were missing.

Other parents left their kids regularly throughout the entire cruise.

[jay5835]

Or people could just not have children if they don't want to be bothered with them. It's not like we're having a person shortage.

[BrianTH]

Originally Posted by Hopes

I'll bet what they have at a mall in Japan is a grander scale than the rooms at GE and Ikea.

That is probably correct, but I think their mere existence in Pittsburgh indicates the concept would have some appeal here.