Over-run by toys?? Help is here!

You've been accumulating toys since before your child was born, and you might feel like it's out of control. It takes effort and intention to create a play space that promotes purposeful play, and you may not even know where to begin. Whether you want some advice for a DIY project, or a fully designed and organized play space, grOH has got you covered! Press play to find out everything grOh has to offer!

Tunes 4 Tots has partnered with Lenzy Ruffin Photography and District Sitter to bring you District Family. Each week, we will provide a family living guide that brings you the best of what the small business community in our area has to offer to families with young children!

And Business WOMEN, Too!

I hope you've been enjoying the videos on the District Family portion of our blog, and now I am SO excited to kick off the written portion! We will be sharing a variety of exclusive content here, so please be sure to click subscribe for updates when we post!

I (Hope) had a bit of a hard time deciding what to write about first, so I decided to go with telling you a true story that highlights the spirit of the Tunes 4 Tots brand. I hope you'll find it inspiring and uplifting! Once we get past the tough parts, that is...

So let's begin our story... my day started as most days do, with teaching a music class. This particular class was at a local cafe that hosts Tunes 4 Tots often, and always provides us with a delicious meal! I decided to order take out, since I had another class to get to, and as I was waiting for my to go bag, the staff started to turn over the dining room from a breakfast set up to that of lunch. Changing out pancake syrup and jam for ketchup and mustard. Vacuuming up crumbs and pushing chairs in. The usual...

I wasn't alone waiting for my doggie bag - there was one little girl, about three years old remaining with her caretaker after my class. Anyone with small children knows how long it can take to get out the door sometimes. They were putting their coats and shoes on, finishing the last scraps of their food, and saying goodbye to Miss Hope. Which requires many high fives and hugs! But before they left, the little girl asked one of the cafe staff members what he was doing. This is where things get dicey friends...

The guy replied "I'm getting the dining room ready for lunch, there will probably be a bunch of businessmen coming in to eat soon!" My heart skipped a beat. He's a young guy, but did he REALLY just say that?? Did that man really just say businessMEN to a little girl? When there is a female business owner siting right there in his presence!? Well whether it was intentional or not, I was not going to let that misogynistic comment slide for one second! I simply added "and business women, too" to the tail end of his sentence. The manager was in the room and chuckled saying "that's right". I am glad the manager agreed with me. I hope the young server will think twice in the future. But most of all - I hope the three year old little girl internalized that it is OKAY to stand up for herself and never feels put out by a comment like this.

Some readers may think this is no big deal at all. But I'm telling you it felt like a huge deal. If was one of those moments where it felt like all of womankind, all of humankind was resting on my shoulders. Because children are exactly like sponges, they soak up everything they hear and everything around them. "Businessmen" is such an outdated term. The business world is no longer a boys' club. We've just got to teach our babies that from the start, and the world will be a better, more inclusive and equal place.

This occurrence really did feel profound to me in the moment. But I must say I've seen my staff exhibiting examples of inclusivity and challenging gender norms on a regular basis. They are constantly letting the kids know that anyone can use the pink scarves, not just girls. And we will all take turns equally. We can even change song lyrics that are outdated. We let kids know that there are no girly musical instruments or manly ones. Music is for everyone! Everyone that comes to work at Tunes 4 Tots knows that it is a woman owned business and not only do they respect that, they embrace it. I am SO proud and happy to have a staff that works everyday to be as inclusive as possible.

I hope you've enjoyed this little story of empowerment and stay tuned for more stories like it, along with tips and tricks for your family right here on our blog page!

Spend Less Time Worrying and More Time Playing!

Are you tired of using Google to put the pieces together regarding your child's communication skills and milestones? Chanel Blaylock will inform you how your child's speech and language is developing and show you fun ways to promote development! With the knowledge of how to strengthen communication development, you can relax and enjoy playtime with your child. Click play to hear all about The Speech Boutique!

Tunes 4 Tots has partnered with Lenzy Ruffin Photography and District Sitter to bring you District Family. Each week, we will provide a family living guide that brings you the best of what the small business community in our area has to offer to families with young children!