leave the kids at home

I am up in Sydney for the week after having flown up on my own with the two boys on the weekend. While I was pretty concerned with flying on my own with 2 kids, the flight itself was fine and the boys were well behaved, although I was hoping that a flight during nap time would mean a nap, not squirming on my lap, but at least he was quiet.

So it was a coincidence that this week Fairfax Newpapers ran an opinion piece on screaming kids on planes. In the article, the author, Erice Challis, explains that things would be much easier for everyone if airport facilities included more family friendly areas (play spaces, parents rooms etc) so kids could get their energy out without the need to run around in waiting areas and send other passengers batty, while giving the added benefit of tiring them out before boarding the plane.

Aaahh, the joys (Image EverymanTri.com)

I agree with the idea, and that it would benefit all passengers, not just the families using the facilities. What did concern me were the comments after the article. They were 50/50 for and against the idea, but the negative ones! When did Australia become so intolerant of children? I understand people having a gripe about kids who are running amok while a parent sits oblivious with the earphones in, but surely to paint all kids as precious little brats who are sure to make 'my' plane trip uncomfortable is a little discriminatory.

It was not just this article either that drew the wrath of pissed off passengers everywhere, this article about a woman suing Qantas over a screaming kid (ridiculous) and also this article about a survey of travellers who suggest a family only area on planes, both had the same vicious comments basically expressing their hostility toward children and lazy parents who chose to have them. One comment laughingly explained that it was the parents who decided to inconvenience their lives by having kids so the rest of us should not have to put up with them as well! 'Hey babe, let's inconvenience ourselves by starting a family'? Seriously?

I spoke with my mate Cookie about this and she mentioned she did feel the same about other people's kids before she had them, and I would have to admit that before I had kids I to could get pretty grumpy about the screaming baby in my vicinity on a plane, but this is the question I am asking, when did Australia as a society decide that kids were an inconvenience, they should be seen and not heard and we'd all be happier if they were left at home?

Travel to some destinations (Italy, Japan from what I hear...) and the bambinos are a delight to all and sundry, I reckon you might be treated better and with more respect if you DO have kids with you, so when did all this kiddy hatred creep in on our 'tolerant' and 'fair go' society? Shouldn't that fair go be extended to kids as well?

i heart ikea

It is no secret to people that know me that I absolutely looove Ikea. Being in the interior industry, you either have a love or hate relationship with this place, and mine is definitely LOVE! This may sound a little unhinged, but I could spend hours there, wandering about getting lost, finding cool new textiles and fantasising about all the amazing things I could make if only I had a sewing machine (and could actually sew), thinking up new and amazing ways to use their clever storage in my non-existent hallway, checking out their kitchen ranges (have you seen them? - they are really something) and just generally wishing I owned my own house so I could fill it up with Ikea goodness.

A disclaimer here. I used to shop here alot for my work, so I know the place back-to-front, plus all the shortcuts through the showroom and marketplace, and I ONLY ever go on a weekday. It is not much fun on the weekend at all.

Smaland image from Ikea

That being said, I did brave Ikea during the school holidays and low and behold, now that Lucas is 3 he is able to go to Smaland.... I now love Ikea even more if that is even possible! Smaland is a play area and care facility at the entrance to Ikea (in Victoria anyway), it has the obligatory ball pit but also has a chillout space, drawing table and indoor swinging tree things that looked like fun. Lucas was in heaven and did not want to leave. They take your kids for an hour and let you shop in peace - bliss! Although an hour in Ikea is never enough, it gave me long enough to get the bits I needed that day, and the good thing is there is a pick up point inside the store so you don't need to go outside to pick them up - handy!

Their design ethos is sound and super practical, they have the needs of a family and it's practicalities in place while everything is stylishly designed and oh-so Swedish. Their new parents range also covers everything you could need or want, without going OTT like some baby specialists do with the equipment you may 'need' for your new baby. And to top it all off, it's priced at wallet friendly rates which not only means you can fill your house with it all, you won't stress too much about having a garage sale when your kid decides they hate red and insist on their room having GREEN drawers ONLY!

So anyway, enough of my gushing about our Swedish designer friends, you know how much I love them, I am just happy they have made shopping there even better for me! Oh, that and the fact I can't go past their (very kid friendly) restaurant without getting my hands on a plate of their swedish meatballs. yum.

Swedish Meatballs from Ikea

Toast and Miss Marmalade

Went to Miss Marmalade for brunch on Saturday - first time we have done brunch anywhere since the boys came along. And this was only made possible by the back room with play area at this fab little caf in Brunswick.

Funky lighting at Miss Marmalade

I know, I know, there are heaps of cafes with little play areas around, but often they are in the corner of a main part of the cafe, and the kiddies aren't really away from other diners here. There are plenty of mums who think their lively little sprogs should be tolerated by all and sundry, but people (including myself) go to cafes to have a leisurely meal, not be entertained by other people's kids no matter how unruly they are.

Comfy-but-cool interior of the front dining area

This is the nice thing about Miss Marmalade - the play area is in a whole other room, so kid-free peeps can still hang out the front in peace.

The boys in the play area in the rear room at Miss Marmalade - yay for space!

Quirky art in the back room

Coffee was great, breakfast was yum (I had the corn fritters and hubs had the big breakie of course - both very tasty meals) and the boys were pleased with their sourdough vegemite toast. Have been back a few times since and the coffee has been consistently good, kids area relatively free and staff friendly and super accommodating. Plus the park nearby is rather convenient for a run-about just to ensure little people are well and truly ready for a nap on their return home.

So it wasn't a long and leisurely brunch, but it was still out of the house on a Saturday morning and someone else cooking breakfast for us - spoilt!