Did you know that every December, Pinterest puts out the Pinterest 100? It’s a list of the top trends to try in the year to come, across the platforms most popular categories: fashion, health, food… and yes, parenting. Backed by ‘solid data’, this year’s list included totally new ideas and concepts I’d never heard of before like blue jeans, clarified butter (known to many of us as ghee) and cufflinks.
So, I headed over to the parenting section, to see what trends I should be on point with in 2018. Here are some of my favourites.
Mom jewellery: Teething necklaces made of silicone and wood that your little one can chew on are going to be huge in 2018. So stop being so 2017 and tying that worn pacifier around your neck with a length of old nylon rope.
Toys made from Trees : Parents are saving the earth by junking plastic toys and buying toys made of wood. Yes, trees had to be cut down to make the toys, but you know, that’s not the point. But, can I just say, that after 10 years at this parenting gig (which despite my best efforts I am not getting fired from) no child I know has ever preferred beautiful artisanal toys made from elm wood grown on a sustainable farm over a plastic truck which plays Yo Yo Honey Singh’s greatest hits at the press of a button. Unless that child’s name is Serenity or Sage Butter.
Mod nurseries: Just because it’s your baby’s room doesn’t mean it has to look like Frozen vomited all over it. Mod Nurseries are achingly cool rooms that look like the W hotel for toddlers. Think wooden moose heads over a faux sheepskin rug and oak panelling. Yes, if you change your child’s nappy on the sheepskin rug and there’s an accident, chances are you’ll have to burn the rug. Just make sure you post pictures of the room on Pinterest before you actually let your child inside.
Sip and see parties: Wine and nibbles are set out for friends who drop in at a designated time to meet the new arrival. Now, I had something a lot more traditional for my first born, where we weighed him down with all the gold possible, put him in a cradle and invited people to sing off key lullabies to him. About a hundred guests turned up, many of whom thought it was appropriate to follow me when I needed to nurse the baby. Come to think of it, wine would have made the whole affair a lot more fun.
Push presents: Now this wasn’t on the Pinterest blog, but I read about it somewhere else. New mothers are getting gifts from their partners for giving them the gift of a child. I see this taking over Karva Chauth gifts big time this year. And to a certain someone reading this, I believe I came home from the hospital with baby number 2 on our actual wedding anniversary to nothing. Nothing! Not even a ‘Thank You’ card. Feel free to purchase real jewellery to make up for this terrible oversight. I will be practicing chakrasana on my new Yoga Wheel which Pinterest tells me is going to be all the rage in 2018. Om Shanti Om.
Menaka Raman
Twitter@menakaraman
The writer’s philosophy is: if there’s no blood, don’t call me