The Kids Are Alright

The other day I was wiping knee-high sticky handprints off the jewellery cabinets and it occurred to me how much children add to the vibe in this shop. We get a lot of kids in MAKE. Lots of our customers are very Yummy Mummies (you know who you are!) with babies and toddlers in tow. We get lots of Mums with their kids on the way back from the school run, and we have a distinct young teenage crowd who love our hair accessories and £1.50 bangles.

This means that inevitably some of my working day is spent child minding - I consider it part of my job description. I'll often be found wobbling a buggy or reading a story while a busy Mum takes some well-earned time to try something on. And I love it if the baby wakes up and I get to have a little cuddle (sigh!).

Don't get me wrong, I'm no Julie Andrews and I have to admit I've found one or two kids' behaviour rather 'challenging'. The child who got into the window for instance, and caused the mannequins to topple over one by one like dominoes. Or the one who nonchalently brushed her jammy doughnut through a row of dresses!

But I do know that shopping with children isn't easy. For the first 3 years after my son was born I can remember I wasn't allowed into shops. All would be serene while strolling down the street, but pause inside a shop and merry hell would break out, requiring either a red-faced exit or some form of edible bribe (oh dear, not proud of that...).

So here at MAKE we try to help out when parents want to come in for a browse. We've got a loo kids can use if they're caught short, and of course you can change a nappy if you need to. We've got a comfy chair so you can take time out to feed your baby if the need arises. And then there's our famous  toybox. It's not quite to Hamley's standards but it usually provides enough distraction for a dress or two to be tried on. Many's the time I've nearly hoovered up a forgotten wooden brick or toy car that's slipped under a rail of clothes.

We understand that busy Mums just don't have a lot of time (or let's face it, energy) to browse, so we're happy to help out while you're in the shop -  whether that means singing Baa Baa Black Sheep or recommending something that's good to wear while you're breastfeeding.

It's all just part of the service.