All I really need to know I learned at Monkey Joe's

I took the kids to Monkey Joe's yesterday for a play date.  Right before we left for the play date, I had just finished publishing an article about how the City of Raleigh was ranked the #1 hot spot for families with young children in the US (click here to read the article) because of the nearly 50% growth in number of Raleigh residents between the ages of 5-17 over the past decade.  With thoughts from that article floating around in my head, I was primed to be reminded of some key lessons while spending the next few hours at an establishment that caters to this booming child population.

Note:  I took my camera to Monkey Joe's yesterday so I could test out my new lens, but I left the SD card in my laptop at home.  So, the obligatory photos for this post were actually taken earlier at Jumpin' Beans, a competitor of Monkey Joe's with a similar business model.

Business and Economics

Lesson #1:
Wise entrepreneurs study demographic trends so that they can anticipate future demand and be the first to supply it.

The Triangle has been listed among the top cities for job offerings for many years.   With more Ph.D. and master's degrees held by Triangle residents per capita than most any other area in the country and with Raleigh being ranked #2 in growth of educated immigrants over the past two decades, an increase in number of affluent families with young children is an obvious outcome. Businesses like Monkey Joe's that cater to this booming segment of the population are likely to be very successful.

Lesson #2:
Business owners who best satisfy the demands of their affluent target market can set higher prices. 

Admission to Monkey Joe's is higher than a 3D movie.  Party packages range in price from $199 during weekdays to $319 for weekend parties with a theme for up to 24 kids.  This package pricing does not even include food, cake, or favors!

Parents will pay these high prices because they want their children to be happy and well exercised.   Parents hope the children will burn off excess energy on the inflatables while they (the parents) relax in the recliners and watch the wide screen TV or utilize Monkey Joe's "free" Wi-Fi. Did I say free?  How much did the parent pay for admission to Monkey Joe's? 

Before long, the kids will come back to their web-surfing, TV-watching parents with cries that they are hungry and thirsty.  So the parents will pay for some sugar laden juice drinks priced at a 500% markup.  The parents will also order pizza, but since Monkey Joe's purposefully does not make their own pizza, staff will order out from a nearby pizzeria and then double the price charged to the Monkey Joe's patron. This order-out process takes 45 minutes, so to keep the kids' hunger at bay, the parents will then buy the kids some snacks which Monkey Joe's conveniently supplies at hefty mark-up pricing.   This tiered business model is certainly profitable.

With this understanding, I still gladly take our children to Monkey Joe's on special occasions because it provides a fun place for kids to play and get some much needed exercise when the temperature outside is 101 degrees with 99% humidity as it was yesterday.  I enjoy meeting friends there and sharing mutually encouraging conversation with other parents while the children play. And I love a good excuse to splurge on that yummy pizza!


Physical Fitness

Lesson #3:
When exercise is disguised as play, children (or parents) will exercise for hours without complaint. 

When I take the children shopping, they complain about how much their feet hurt.  When I invite them to join me for a bike ride, they complain about how much it hurts their legs to pedal up the "rolling hills" that characterize our golf course community.  When I send them outside to run around the yard, the summer heat tires them out quickly. Conversely, when I take them to Monkey Joe's, they will climb and run for hours without complaint in that climate controlled facility while making lots of friends.

Yesterday, I met a pregnant friend at Monkey Joe's who has a 2-year-old daughter.  Her daughter was too young to climb and jump without adult supervision, and pregnant women are not allowed on the equipment.  So, for several hours I accompanied the 2-year old.  I climbed, jumped, slid, ran, and lifted kids up, down, and over.  I worked every muscle in my body while trying to balance myself on the inflatable equipment.  I got in a great unplanned workout, but since I was so focused on enjoying those giggling kids, I barely noticed that I was exercising.

Climbing, jumping, flying?

Interpersonal Skills

Lesson #4:
A great way to make friends and form connections with others is to meet them at their level.

As the youngest member of my family on all sides, I was never comfortable around children until I had children of my own.  Even now it is sometimes a struggle.  At Monkey Joe's yesterday, while I climbed all over the inflatable equipment with my friend's 2-year old, I made a lot of new friends with little people.  Babies smiled and waved from their strollers as they saw me run past them. Toddlers raised their arms toward me gesturing for me to pick them up.  Preschoolers started conversations with me.  School age kids beckoned for me to follow them.  These precious kids, with their big smiles and youthful glee, made me feel like I was part of their inner circle. They viewed me as being approachable simply because I was down at their level doing what they were doing.

To effectively teach children, we must first meet them at their level and form a strong connection with them.  From that point, we can then begin teaching them Biblical principles which will help them grow in godliness and maturity.

Faith

Lesson #5
God perfectly demonstrated the principle behind Lesson #4 by sending His only Son to earth as Emmanuel (God with us). 

God sent Christ to live on earth as a man for many reasons, a few of which include:

• To fully empathize with mankind by meeting us at our level
• To form a strong personal connection with His people
• To reveal God to man
• To provide the perfect atonement for the sin of all mankind 

Because Christ came as our Savior, the penalty for our sins has been satisfied.

Because of Emmanuel, believers can now gain access to the Father. We can come before the throne of God with confidence and know Him intimately.

Ephesians 3:11-12 (NIV)

¹¹ according to his eternal purpose that he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord. ¹² In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence.

Because of Christ, we can learn from our Creator, the omnipotent, omnipresent, omniscient One, and grow in Christlikeness.