I, like my husband, have noticed lately how late places open especially on the weekends. When you have kids, you no longer have the luxury to "Sleep in" because someone else controls when you go to bed and when you wake up. So, it is surprising to me that so many public places and establishments open after 10am. The average toddler goes to sleep by 8pm (remember, that is average - which means some will go to sleep even earlier) and wake up by 6am. It is amazing then to me that libraries, museums, recreation centers, malls, and other places open after 10am. Don't these places pride themselves on attracting children- I mean, they sure do advertise to them. Some kids take naps as early as 11am! So, how can a parent take a child to one of these places for an hour? It makes no sense to me and lately, my husband and I have discussed this very problem. He spent two Sundays in a row waiting in a line outside the rec center to take our toddler swimming. The rec center did not open until 10am!
Not only do these hours of operation make no sense to me, I wonder what principle they run these centers on. Is it for the elderly or the single person? Even my single friends or friends without kids get up early to go exercise or go shopping. Even they are wondering why 10am. The places that really perplex me are the ones that cater to children like pools, rec centers, children's museums, and libraries. Storytime at 1030am on a Saturday? I wish these places would just open even an hour early becacuse that make all the difference. For example, on a typical Saturday, my toddler will get up at 630am. By 830am we are done with breakfast and playtime so we can take off to arrive at the rec center by 9am, and be dutifully home by 11am for lunch followed by a nice naptime, and boom! In the afternoon, the child is refreshed and ready for afternoon fun like the park and other outdoor locations. In the winter this makes even more sense because it is tough to do outdoor activities before noon.
So I rant on hoping someone will listen and other parents complain too. I guess 'til then, I have to entertain my own kid for the entire morning! Oy vay!
