31/08/2026
🎤 Jimmy Carr, toddlers & a little bit of “being mean”... 😂
We came across this little clip of Jimmy Carr being asked a brilliant question from the audience:
“What advice would you give parents with toddlers?”
His answer genuinely made us smile, especially because there’s a part of it that really resonates with us here at Chaii Hub - St Neots
Jimmy jokes that you could just buy Netflix and let them do whatever they want… 😅
And, well… at Chaii Hub, we could say the same thing:
“Just leave them in the soft play and let them crack on!” 😂
But his actual point was much more important.
Sometimes, when your little one wants something they shouldn't have, or is doing something they shouldn't be doing, you have to be prepared to “be mean in the moment.”
Not cruel.
Not angry.
Not shouting.
Just setting a boundary, even when it would be easier to laugh it off or give in.
And honestly, we see this every day.
Our little toddler soft play has become such a lovely part of Chaii Hub. Over the last three and a half years, we've watched little ones come in as tiny toddlers and gradually grow into confident little people. 🥹
We feel incredibly lucky and genuinely privileged to have played even a tiny part in so many of their childhoods.
But every now and then, we see something that makes us think about Jimmy's advice.
A book being ripped. 📚
Wallpaper being peeled off the walls. 😬
Toys being thrown at another child. 🧸
And occasionally, the parent laughs it off.
We completely understand that toddlers are toddlers. They are learning. They are testing boundaries. They are figuring out the world.
And that's exactly why those little moments matter.
Because we're not their parents, we sometimes find ourselves in a difficult position. It's not really our place to step in and tell someone how to parent their child.
So instead, we'll simply share Jimmy's message:
Be mean in the moment. ❤️
Because sometimes saying “No, we don't do that” today is what helps them understand why we don't do it tomorrow.
And for us, it's not just about protecting our books, walls or toys.
It's about teaching little people to be kind, respectful and considerate of others.
We're a very relaxed place. We want children to run, play, explore, make friends, have fun and probably leave with crumbs absolutely everywhere. 😂
But we're also a community.
And we all have a little part to play in helping the next generation grow.
So… thank you to all the amazing parents who do exactly that every day. ❤️
And Jimmy Carr, we think you might have just summed up toddler parenting better than most parenting books ever could! 😂
Watch the clip. What do you think? 👇
