Pre-kids my husband and I lived in London and I went to the theater at least once a month with friends. A few months after we moved back to New York, we found out I was pregnant and once my daughter arrived it became difficult to go to a show. Going to shows will be a lot easier now that Playwrights Horizons and Sitters Studio have teamed up to establish PLAYTIME!, a childcare service available during theatrical shows for ages 4 thru 12. Children can be dropped off 45 minutes before and no later then 15 minutes before curtain, just enough time for parents to grab a drink (or two) before the show begins. The hope of PLAYTIME!, is to bring parents back to the theater by providing excellent childcare at (or steps from) the theater at an extremely affordable rate. The service is available to any type of ticketbuyer for participating shows, regardless of the price paid for the ticket,and is just $15 per child. Sitters Studio is fully bonded and insured, and their rigorous background checks and training ensure that they provide not only an artistic and fun experience for children, but also one that complies with top-notch safety standards.(playtimenyc.org)
Making a name tag!
The pirate outfit she made!
Last weekend, my older daughter attended PLAYTIME! while my husband and I went to see Rated P for Parenthood,a new off broadway musical. Check-in is on the 3rd floor of the Playwrights Horizons building but the room they play in is on the 5th floor. Staff provided us with a contact card, in case of an emergency or if we needed to leave the show early. Our daughter was assigned to a sitter prior to arrival and we were given a pouch that we needed to return to check out staff in order to pick her up. At pick-up her assigned sitter was available to answer questions and gave us a card that had a list of activities she participated in, a list of the snacks she ate (extremely great for me since she has a food allergy), and how she adjusted. Every couple of weeks, they change themes and last weekend happened to be a Pirate theme. She had a wonderful time and has been doing a fashion show of the pirate outfit she made while singing songs she learned at PLAYTIME! I was very impressed and would definitely use their service again.
Rated P for Parenthood, a new off-broadway musical chronicles every stage of modern-day parenting, from conception to college, with giant doses of heart and humor. A versatile cast of four takes the audience through the ups and downs of childrearing—from the sublime to the ridiculous—in a series of comic and musical vignettes in under 90 minutes. Hilarious, fresh, and decidedly irreverent, Rated P provides all the wistful joy of childrearing…at a fraction of the cost of braces! (RatedPtheMusical.com). I don’t think anyone can fully prepare for being a parent. You have washed all the blankets and clothes, put the crib together, the stroller is ready to go and you are ready until….baby gets here…and then what?? What if you have a child that won’t stop screaming…what do you do? What if your toddler says $h#* in public and everyone stops and stares? How do you know which preschool you should apply to and what if you don’t get into the school of your choice, what next? Becoming a parent is one roller coaster ride and you learn as you go.
Thank you MamaDrama and PLAYTIME! for the opportunity to see Rated P for Parenthood, it couldn’t have come at a better time. My girls are growing up so fast and I am already running into situations I don’t have an answer to or have no idea what the next step should be. Recently, my (almost) two-year old has had an interest in going to the bathroom on the toilet and has wanted to sleep in a “big girl” bed. My older daughter found a tampon a while back and asked me what it was. I just took it away because I did not know how to explain it to her, she’s only 3 1/2. The other day I found her with another tampon using it as a thermometer for her baby. The last thing I want is for her to show up at a playgroup and pull out a tampon and take one of her friends temperatures as they play “doctor”. She has also started asking about a baby brother. She asked my husband if she could go to the baby store for a baby brother. She is really determined to go to this store, when I saw Rated P, it really hit close to home, especially since they “try” to explain where a baby comes from to a child. How do I tell her we cannot go to a store and BUY her a baby brother. It also made me start thinking about what to do about school, how we will handle the teenage years and beyond because they will be here before we know it. The show is beyond funny, don’t miss the text messages above the stage. My husband does not like going to shows and was a little skeptical when I told him we were going. I kept looking over at him and he was laughing most of the show. It is the perfect show for parents and grandparents because it really hits home and you can relate to almost every scene. If you are thinking about starting it will give you an idea of what is in store for you!
Check out the video below for a sneak peek of what to expect at Rated P for Parenthood.
To purchase tickets for Rated P for Parenthood click link or you may use the Parenthood Insider discount code ($49.50 until 5/27/12) ,RPTHX88,at Broadway Offers which was provided after the show to share with friends.
After you get tickets, register your child for PLAYTIME! .
Other sites to visit:
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MamaDrama
Disclaimer: I received two tickets and a complimentary PLAYTIME! pass for the purpose of this review. This did not alter my opinion about PLAYTIME! or Rated P for Parenthood.
Tastefully Childish 
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