From date night cocktails to kids' play dates: Why these 3 parents always wind up at Westfield.

I’ll never forget when I was pregnant with my twins.  

Hubby and I would head out on our favourite Westfield dinner-and-movie date night and friends would say to ourselves, “well, enjoy that because once these babies come… we won’t be doing that again any time soon.”  

Funnily enough though, I think I head there even more after having babies. It just plays out a little differently.

Once my twins arrived, our local Westfield was our go-to.

If it was rainy or cold outside, we’d go to Westfield and if it was too hot outside, we’d pop there, the air conditioning was always a much needed bonus! 

Catching up with someone for a play date or needed something from the shops? Westfield. 

Before having kids, I didn’t realise there was even more to it than a huge variety of our favourite shops and eateries. Now I’m a mum of 3, I still get to enjoy all the great stuff all their stores have to offer, plus more.

Scoring a convenient pram parking spot is just the beginning of an awesome outing.

And I can’t tell you how great it is to go somewhere you know has all the facilities you need in a parents room (true luxury for me). From toddler toilets, change tables, private feeding areas and even a microwave (Yep. Has always amazed me). It’s basically an exclusive VIP lounge.

Girl's day out with my three-year-old daughters means manis & pedis followed by a juice and banana bread.

And mum and son shopping dates always start with a babycino for him and coffee for me. Westfield is the perfect energy burner for little ones, really. So much to see and do and takes the pressure off me having to be a performing monkey. 

The littles learning self-care early. Image: Supplied.

Movie dates look a little different too. Instead of the latest rom com or action movie, it’s Peter Rabbit 2. We'll often meet my other parent friends too who'll bring along their little ones (or even different family members of ours), and find any excuse to catch up while the kids' are glued to the movie.

Instead of an 8pm dinner and pre-movie cocktails, it’s 5pm dinners and ice creams. And we love it.

Socialising featuring children. Movie time! Image: Supplied.

My sister-in-law Melissa has 3 girls aged between 5 and 13, and Westfield is her ultimate family outing too because it ticks all boxes. 

Plenty of shops to keep everyone entertained and refuelled (pink lemonade is crucial), but really the ideal setting for a catch up, whether it's with Aunty Mel or Nanny to see a movie, have a quick bite or leisurely walk around with.

Our family is forever on the pink lemonade train. Image: Supplied.

My girlfriend Rebecca who’s also a mother of three loves making memories with us at Westfield too.

This year, we all went together, and her daughter got her first pair of school shoes.

Milestone moment! Image: Supplied.

A special moment followed by a special lunch.

Hard earned sushi. Image: Supplied.

Rebecca loves Westfield just as much as me funnily, plus as she has 3 kids under 5 years old, a place that's pram friendly is crucial: this. is. non-negotiable.

And there’s not only great takeaway food, food courts and cafes... some of Westfield’s amazing restaurants even have critically acclaimed chefs perfect for those special occasions and date nights.

Whether you need to run some errands with one of your girlfriends (so a day of life admin has more laughs in it), catch up with your group over brunch (which is more lively these days with 17 children also in the mix), head to Westfield for coffee with another parent after the kids play soccer (motivation for ourselves for sitting through their whole game...) or spend some quality time with the family (special mention goes to Nanny), Westfield has everything we need to make our meet ups with our loved ones super easy and enjoyable.

My kids especially love the little pit stops we always manage to find along the way.

Three's company. Image: Supplied.

Want to get the latest on what's happening at your local Westfield? Download the free Westfield Plus App to plan your next catch up this Autumn. Find it on the App Store or Google Play Store.