A city that boasts of the largest malls, theatres and entertainment centres seems to have sidelined tiny tots. Exasperated parents, who try very hard to cope with kids and the city, give a few suggestions on how to make Mumbai more toddler-friendly.
It’s time to be baby-friendly!
Urmi Singh
NAVY NAGAR: Anna and Jonathan had waited long for the summers. Their dad had landed a job in Mumbai. The family had heard much about the city and were anxious to get relocated. The first few months were good. They visited the Gateway of India, Elephanta Caves, local malls, Chowpatty and Juhu beach, Marine Drive, Hanging Gardens and the Prithvi children's festival.
As months passed by, trips started getting monotonous. Dad and mom realised that entertainment options for children in Mumbai were scarce, and the options left were shoddy. The zoo at Byculla and Taraporewala Aquarium at Marine Drive need renovation. It's sad that Mumbai has not been able to cater to the physical, emotional and intellectual needs of its children. Here are some ideas:
- Institutions like the Asiatic Library and Nehru Planetarium could work closely with schools of Mumbai to conduct educational seminars and field trips. Different government organisations like the tea association and cottage emporiums could hold interesting and fun-filled educational trips for children, throwing light on unique learning areas.
- Mumbai is now flooded with malls. But unfortunately, they are not baby-friendly at all. The kids deserve more facilities and they want variety. Most of the malls keep Lego toys or trampoline to keep children engaged. How long can blocks serve the purpose? What do the older kids do?
- Maybe one could create a kids’ club. Give special incentives like discounts to members of this club. The kids’ club member could meet weekly, to organise events and shows (for e.g, a father-son look alike contest as Father's Day special) for shopping malls. This will not only keep the kids creatively involved but also make shopping more pleasurable for the parents.
- Why is Mumbai so hopelessly deprived of professional baby care centres? A working mother would be at peace, knowing that her baby is in the hands of professional caretakers. The need of the hour is a multi-facility day care which could provide children of all ages a home away from home.
- The corporate sector could contribute to modernise facilities for children. Every company could have in-house crèches. During summer holidays, when children are away from mums for long periods of time, corporate houses could organise workshops for children of their employees.
- Soft skills training for children in Mumbai take a backseat. Why don't we take a serious note of all the suicides, depression and anxiety cases and make training an integral part of our child’s life?
Let not the decision-makers of Mumbai ignore child related issues anymore. We want our children to be stronger and smarter emotionally, physically and spiritually. The future of our country inevitably lies in their hands.
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