| Just two months ago, a group of mothers from | | | | her boys bedroom furniture was the way to |
| three generations (Gen Y, Gen X and Baby | | | | go.A Gen Y mom used hand-me-down bedroom |
| Boomer demographics) shared their buying | | | | furniture, rather than shopping at a |
| habits with retailers and manufacturers on | | | | furniture store for her baby and put the rest |
| purchasing childrens bedroom furniture and | | | | of the items that she needed on her gift |
| baby products. This occurred at the fifth | | | | registry. The items she did not receive as |
| annual Kids Today conference in Bonita | | | | baby gifts she purchased at Target and Kmart. |
| Springs Florida.Author and entrepreneur Maria | | | | She did however find a lot of her ideas (such |
| Bailey, an executive in the fields of | | | | as themes for luxury baby bedding) at a |
| publishing, marketing, and business | | | | boutique. She said she would purchase only |
| development, was the keynote speaker at the | | | | bedroom accessories, baby bedding, other |
| conference and a moderator for the panel. | | | | items that she thought were original at a |
| Maria Bailey has worked for numerous | | | | boutique or baby shops.Although most of the |
| companies, including Automation USA, | | | | parents claimed that they mostly shopped at |
| AutoNation, Discovery Zone, The Miami Herald, | | | | discount stores, they admittedly would make |
| Broward Community College, and McDonald's. | | | | more extravagant purchases like luxury baby |
| Her experience as an executive and the mother | | | | bedding or hard-to-find toys at baby |
| of four young children led her to specialize | | | | boutiques if there was something they really |
| in assisting mothers in balancing their home | | | | wanted for there kid. A Gen X mom talked |
| and work lives. Bailey explained the | | | | about children strollers. She paid $300 for a |
| importance of marketing to mothers of | | | | stroller because she liked the features. |
| different ages.Even though there were some | | | | Then a Gen Y mom said she paid about $200 for |
| differences there were also many | | | | a hard-to-find toy that retails normally for |
| similarities. One baby boomer said she found | | | | about $50. She said she bought the toy not |
| information from other mothers quite useful. | | | | only because her son wanted it, but because |
| She tried shopping for childrens beds and | | | | of the educational value. Parents are willing |
| other bedroom sets for her boys baby nursery | | | | to spend more money on educational toys.All |
| at a baby boutique or a shop for kid | | | | moms stressed importance on bedroom furniture |
| furniture and found it was above her budget. | | | | that would grow with their children. One baby |
| She registered for designer baby bedding at | | | | boomer mom said she was in the process of |
| one baby boutique but this particular parent | | | | looking for a bed that would take her toddler |
| found that shopping at a consignment shop for | | | | through high school. |