You learn some interesting things at school pickup, and you can guarantee almost none of it will come from your own kid. I swear, getting information out of my kid most days is like eating jelly with a cellophane spoon.

Some of the mums were talking about this amazing party venue in Bayswater and how they’d been unable to book it, because it was booked out by a bunch of other mums. They were kind of fighting about it. I pretended I was on my phone. Must be a popular place.

I didn’t think much of it until my kids got into the car. As usual they didn’t want to talk about school. They wanted to press me for an afterschool treat. I’m all for after school treats, and was in desperate need of a strong coffee. Thinking about what I’d just heard,

“Do you guys know anything about that indoor play centre? Bayswater?” I could see immediately I had their attention.

“ARE WE GOING THERE?” the kids had just done a full day at school and seemed to immediately get their second wind. We did some careful negotiation and decided to hit the centre to check it out.

Immediately walking in, I could see why the mums were trying to book it out for parties. It was kids heaven. A huge climbing frame, crazy ball pits and a bunch of inflatables, and arcade games. It was something else. And to top it off, you could have your kid issued with a security wristband so they wouldn’t leave without an alarm going off.

The boys immediately disappeared into a maze of fun and I ordered an extra strong flat white.

And as it turns out, no one knows strong coffee like a kids play centre.

I sat back and sipped the heavenly brew and read a pamphlet on the killer kids parties this place was pulling off. Might be best to book now?