Playpens were a passport to a relaxed mother and a happy baby. Why do today's mothers think that a baby with no concept of handling things carefully, or not touching certain things at all, should have the right to go everywhere, grab everything, and have everyone else on tenterhooks
for their safety the whole day?
It is not as if they were in it all their waking hours, as some modern mothers accuse us of. Mine played happily within sight and sound of me while I got on with the chores, talking to them while I did so - and leaving the room briefly to fetch something or visit the loo without having to carry a child with me. I knew they were safe and occupied, they knew I was nearby.
When the work was done, I could lift them out and give them my full attention. They could have freedom when I had time to play with them and stop them getting into danger or destroying the soft furnishings.
In the afternoon they slept for a while in the pram in the garden, or beside an open window if it was raining, while I gardened or sat near them reading. I could push the pram straight off to the shops if I needed anything without disturbing a sleeping child. No car at that time, no supermarkets either, so what I bought from local shops was loaded into the tray under the pram and pushed home.
I had three children aged 5 and 3 1/2 when the new baby arrived, so the playpen got a lot of use. Without it I would have had to supervise two active youngsters while carrying a toddler around with me - or stay with the toddler while the others got into mischief. I don't know about other parents, but one of the things I had nightmares about was being busy coping with one emergency while another child fell into danger.
The older two appreciated the toddler being kept away from their treasures, too. It avoided screams of dismay as baby seized and crushed craftwork that his big sisters were lovingly constructing - but he could given a few bits of paper in the playpen to scrunch up for himself, and feel that he was joining in.
Bring back playpens!