Susie and I were wondering recently, whatever happened to the playpen? When did people stop using them? I remember babies in them all the time in my childhood, but now they are non-existent. We suppose it has to do with that whole thing where you’re supposed to be holding/interacting/stimulating your baby 24/7. But instead, we all plunk them in their exersaucers in front of Baby Einstein so we can actually prepare dinner or vacuum or pee. At least in a playpen, a baby can practice crawling and standing, right?
So we’re bringing back the playpen. I’m not saying Ellery is going to live in there, but every now and then I need to get something else done that requires nearly my full attention, and she needs to be somewhere safe. Of course, the moment we rolled the pack-n-play into the living room, Neko and Shep declared it their own private fort and climbed in and out, watched tv, ate dinner, and filled it with pillows and pretended it was the ocean and they were mermaids.
So I’m bringing back the playpen. For pre-schoolers.