Being a parent is wonderful, of course it is, but how challenging is it? Finding even just a couple of hours to go to dinner, run an errand, see a movie or simply be quiet can become a small task. And when you can’t count on grandparents or friends, a babysitter often represents a cost that not all families can afford.
It is starting from this simple self-evident awareness that the far-sighted mayor of New York, Zohran Mamdanidecided to do something concrete.
The city’s Department of Parks and Recreation has in fact launched the Parents’ Night Out, a brilliant idea, free of charge, which will allow parents to carve out four hours for themselves, while their children can spend an afternoon full of fun in one of the municipal recreation centres, followed by educators and qualified operators.
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The event is for Sunday 16 August, from 4pm to 8pm, and involves boys and girls aged 6 to 13.
In the meantime, while mum and dad enjoy a walk, a dinner out, a bit of shopping or simply the luxury of not constantly looking at the clock, the little ones take part in a rich program of activities: sports games, creative workshops, experiences in nature, multimedia activities and moments of socialising. There is also a free dinner and snacks, so parents can come back to pick them up after the evening.
The initiative will take place in five different recreational centers, one for each district of the city – Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens and Staten Island – and participation is completely free. Simply register online, while places last, and complete the registration at the leisure centre, which is also free for all children.
Parents’ Night Out isn’t just a summer activity. It is a small example of how an administration can take care of families even in a simple way, recognizing that the well-being of children inevitably also depends on that of their parents.
After all, giving a mother or father a few hours to breathe, recharge or do what is impossible to do during the week is not a luxury. It is a way to concretely support parenting.
How wonderful would it be to see similar initiatives in Italy too, where public spaces, libraries and civic centers could be transformed, at least for a few hours, into safe places to leave children, offering families real and precious help?
