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My grandmother kept a toy chest ( hidden behind an armchair in her living room) to entertain us.
Undoubtedly, Nana would be appalled to see the latest trend among grandparents is renovating basements and bedrooms into lavish accommodations for their favorite houseguests – their grandchildren.
Custom-built beds, play kitchens, ping-pong tables and workbenches (not to mention swimming pools and basketball courts) are altering affluent grandparents’ homes to ensure frequent visits from the little ones.
At Pottery Barn Kids the most common request this year comes from grandparents looking to create nurseries in their home, says company president Janet Hayes. “They decorate full rooms with the intention of creating a space for them to stay over,” she says.
An online children’s furniture store based in North Carolina reports cribs that cost an average of $1,000 and hand-painted wooden letters that spell out the names of their grandkids are best-sellers.
Last year, an AARP survey of 1,904 grandparents indicated they spend $1,000 a year (or more) on their grandchildren. To accommodate multiple grandkids from different families, they purchase height-adjustable tables and chairs, stain-proof upholstery and removable floor tiles that hold up to spills.
Throw in a teepee to play or sleep in, a chalkboard wall, custom murals and some electronics and you’ve got a weekend retreat that rivals the Magic Kingdom.
Looks like baby boomers who are becoming grandparents won’t be downsizing anytime soon…I wonder how my grandmother spent so little money, yet we could hardly wait to spend time with her?