What with the competing demands of children, work, husbands, parents - you name it - sometimes mothers need a little break. And when better to take one than while the young 'uns are busy playing among themselves?
Former kindergarten teacher and mother-of-two Clare Benson, 42, has just opened a pre-kindergarten playhouse in Sai Kung for tots aged up to four years that features an added attraction for mums: there's a separate area in which they can sip coffee and shoot the breeze safe in the knowledge that little Boris and Delilah are well occupied.
"As a mum myself, I know how difficult it is to find a place to rest where your children can be free to move around," says Benson, whose playhouse features a sky-blue ceiling, grass-green floor and brightly coloured flowers on the walls. But while that all may sound par for the course, the room is otherwise a blank canvas for her patrons. "Free play" is Benson's rallying call, with the youngsters given age-appropriate toys and the free-dom to express themselves as they see fit. No interfering baby tutors here.