This weekend, I got to celebrate one of my dearest friends getting married- in New England which is so near and dear to my soul. It was lovely, they are lovely.

The reason I am sharing that, aside from putting joy into the world, is that the amazing wedding planner was a mama of an adorable preschooler. And the reason I know she was a mama of an adorable preschooler was that her childcare cancelled the morning of the wedding and she brought her kiddo along with her for a bit until someone could pick her up. It was probably stressful and I’m sure it was a tough morning for her- I know, I have been there countless times.

A few of my friends and I were there to set up the venue with flowers and we chatted a bit with both and watched as the planner artfully parented while doing her job- being present for both her daughter and us. She snuggled and hugged and loved on her kid while giving us all of the attention and direction that we needed to make sure our loved one had a beautiful day. It was that level of community- that we all take care of each other vibe- that I hope to encourage at Beehive and in other spaces.

All of us who were setting up are mamas ourselves and (obviously) all of us have navigated childcare snafus over the years. It really got me thinking about my own experience with childcare as a working parent and how being in community with folks who get it, have navigated the challenges themselves or who are willing to work to understand what it means to be a working parent, is immensely important for parental health and well-being.

I am lucky enough to find myself teaching in a space that chooses working parents and values our place in the community- and shows this in the most concrete way I can imagine: childcare. On days when I am expected to be at work but schools are closed, my school provides childcare for all of the faculty and staff kids. How beautiful. In a world where I have to think about so much, have to navigate so very much, (and this is coming from a person with lots of privilege and resources and support) it is a true gift for someone to say “we’ve got you” and without fail, they have my kids so I can do my job.

When I started Beehive, my oldest was with me all of the time. I did all of my interviews with her at my hip, chatting and interrupting and being her adorable 2-year old self. I hoped that Beehive could be a place that folks could work and parent at the same time. Over the years, we have gained many long term and repeating seasonal employees who bring their babies, toddlers or big kid campers to work with them each day. There are unique challenges to this but it is immensely worth it to our community- to value the work of parents at a space meant for families, to co-create this beautiful image of caregivers who can parent while engaging with our clients and navigate both so beautifully. Not perfectly, but beautifully and messily and humanly.

We started Beehive to create community- to share in joys and share in challenges. I am trying to share more of my journey here. I’d love you to join me if it feels good to share: in what ways do you feel supported as a parent in your non-parenting work either by your employers or community?

When I had my oldest, I joined a small group of new parents at a now closed coffee shop called Chhaya on Passyunk. We would gather in a nook of the shop with our babies. I always sat on this brown leather couch and we would share the joys and how no one was sleeping and how our birth experiences were and how one (or two) tiny humans could make our lives so very, very full. I felt less alone and more confident because of these new friends that I barely knew but that came into community with me each Wednesday.

I loved the baby stage with both of my beautiful kids. My second, though, was born just a couple of months into the pandemic and I missed out on the comfort of being with my family, who live a good distance away, and from almost all of my friends. There were no New Baby Groups happening, because the world was shut down, and I missed the community of other people with new babes. I missed asking if things were normal to people going through it in the moment and I missed talking about laundry piles and late night wake ups with people experiencing those “milestones”. I mostly missed meeting friends that I would forever have that bond with- at whose kids I could look at and wonder how they are already 1 or 4 years old.

So after the pandemic, though I can’t remember the exact timing, Lindsay of The Nesting House meetup (that so many of my friends attended) connected with me- or maybe I connected with her?- and we started New Baby Group at Beehive. While Lindsay is no longer with group regularly, what she started at Beehive has become pure magic 🪄 and we are so thankful. @cristinahoytnutrition and @every.body.advocacy now run our New Baby Group @beehiveupstairs with care, compassion and joy.

We are thrilled to announce that New Baby Group will now be held on both Wednesday and Fridays from 9:30-12 @beehiveupstairs ❤️ New Baby Group is and always will be free. We believe that community should not have a financial barrier. We welcome you to join us and bring your babe. We welcome you to come on time or to come late. We welcome you ❤️