Worth the Wait

Running errands while toting your child can be an unpredictable experience. Sometimes all goes well, while other times you swear you will never leave the house with a toddler again. Today I was fortunate enough to have a positive experience as I took my car in for some routine scheduled maintenance.

Having your car or truck serviced is one of life's many necessary evils. It's not really something you look forward to, and if it's a minor service, you might as well stick around in the waiting room for the hour or so the vehicle is being worked on. Doesn't sound very exciting, does it? It didn't seem very appealing to me either, especially knowing that my 18-month old son is getting more adventurous every day. Sitting patiently in a cold, boring, cinderblock holding tank, with nothing more than an 8-cup coffee maker, and a stack of day-old newspapers for entertainment seemed like the last thing Jack would put up with.

But to my pleasure, the waiting room at Schlossman's Honda City in Milwaukee actually seemed like it was designed with real customers in mind. There were large, leather recliners for adults to sit on, and a surprisingly large collection of simple toys for kids and toddlers to enjoy. When Jack and I walked in, there was already another parent, along with her 19-month old daughter playing with some toy trucks. Jack joined right in as if it were a planned play date. And if Jack grew tired of the toys, or the company of his new found playmate, there was a 42" plasma tv hanging on the wall (just in case I had to call in for backup from The Backyardigans or Wonder Pets!). This situation didn't look so bad after all.

One of the factors that can make an experience a positive one, is the environment you find yourself in. Fortunately, there are businesses out there that are looking out for the best interests of their customers. As a parent running errands with a young sidekick, these are the businesses that are worth visiting again.