Parents who leave kids for extended periods at unsupervised playgrounds and in-store care centers are coming under fire from workers, authorities and child protection agencies, says Australia’s Herald Sun.There are two sides of the issue: play lands and in-store child care mean quieter shopping time for parents, but some businesses say it’s just an excuse to dump kids and run. Here are details about this issue.
In-store supervised and unsupervised child centers
In the U.S. stores like Giant Eagle and Basha’s have offered supervised play areas for parents to leave children while they shop. Home improvement superstore IKEA became popular with parents with its Smaland child care center. In-store child care centers generally require that parents provide photo ID, sign children in and out, remain in the store and not leave children longer than 90-120 minutes. Others venues like Chuck E. Cheese and McDonald’s offer indoor and outdoor playgrounds. Some malls, athletic clubs and shopping center have unsupervised play areas.
Benefits of playlands
IKEA’s offer of free day care and indoor play areas works to boost business and lure parents to shop more, reports the Wall Street Journal. Fewer noisy, errant or unruly children on the sales floor means happier customers all the way around. Parents love the peaceful, child-free shopping. Many take advantage of the free wireless internet provided at most stores and restaurants to use their laptops, sans kids. For other parents, the free babysitters meant a chance to relax and enjoyed a “date” the store’s restaurant, said the New York Times. In 2007, the U.K Daily Mail reported that a study found that 8-11-year-old children left to play unsupervised were actually in better physical shape and more sociable.
Problems with playlands
One issue is the age of the child left in child care or to play unsupervised. In Victoria an unsupervised toddler had wandered off from a play area, says the Herald Sun. Police and protective services authorities have been called several times when parents left children in store play areas for as long as four hours. A supervisor at Monkey Mania, a Docklands store care center, says that one out of five parents tries to sneak off and leave kids in care beyond the allowed time. Another problem is parents who leave the premises where the child is playing. In 2010, Fox News reported on an Ohio mother charged with child endangerment for leaving her two children at a McDonald’s PlayPlace to get her nails done across the street.
Concerns for parents
Playlands and in-store child care centers are not licensed the same way as regular child care centers, says the Herald Sun. They are not equipped to operate as a fully license day care. They provide a courtesy service, but parents are still responsible for children. Care centers can be held liable if something happens to the children under their watch, so it’s important that parents adhere to the rules.