After childbirth, many women find their job situation has changed. They might feel the pull to stay home and leave their job entirely. They might change their position so they can work from home, which means juggling caring for their child with working, or hiring a nanny. Or they might go back to work, but miss their new little one. No matter what field a new mom is in, it's a difficult decision to make.
This is where nido comes in.
nido is the Triangle's first coworking space to offer childcare. It is built upon the idea that we have to go beyond work/life balance and aim for work/life integration. At nido, a variety of people can come together - freelancers, telecommuters, small business owners, or anyone that needs a place to work that isn't a workplace. They can gather in a modern but calming office environment while their children are in the same building, immersed in a nourishing Montessori-based daycare. It truly solves that problem so many of us, myself included, have to face.
When I was a new mom in 2008, my hours were cut and I was asked to work part time from home. I would have loved to be in a space with other adults - working from home can feel so isolating, especially if you're new to the parenting thing. It would have been really reassuring to know my son was right down the hall getting amazing care, and that we could keep flexible hours as we needed. If this setup sounds as dreamy to you as it does to me, read on!
This is where nido comes in.
nido is the Triangle's first coworking space to offer childcare. It is built upon the idea that we have to go beyond work/life balance and aim for work/life integration. At nido, a variety of people can come together - freelancers, telecommuters, small business owners, or anyone that needs a place to work that isn't a workplace. They can gather in a modern but calming office environment while their children are in the same building, immersed in a nourishing Montessori-based daycare. It truly solves that problem so many of us, myself included, have to face.
When I was a new mom in 2008, my hours were cut and I was asked to work part time from home. I would have loved to be in a space with other adults - working from home can feel so isolating, especially if you're new to the parenting thing. It would have been really reassuring to know my son was right down the hall getting amazing care, and that we could keep flexible hours as we needed. If this setup sounds as dreamy to you as it does to me, read on!
So what is coworking? At its core, coworking is a community that brings together a group of professionals that would otherwise be isolated in their home offices (or making do in makeshift places like coffee shops without printers and spotty wifi). Coworking creates opportunities for socializing, connecting, and collaborating in person with people you would otherwise never meet.
Coworking is the future, and here are some numbers from Fast Company to prove it:
Coworking is the future, and here are some numbers from Fast Company to prove it:
- 71% report a boost in creativity since joining a coworking space
- 62% said their standard of work had improved in a coworking space
- Almost 90% of coworkers report an increase in self-confidence
- 70% of coworkers feel healthier than they did working in a traditional office
- 64% of coworkers are better able to complete tasks on time
- an impressive 50% of coworkers were happy to report an increase in income
- 80% of coworkers expanded their business network and (in some ways just as essential) 92% said they'd increased their social circles (something hard to do if you're working from your dining room table)
What about the kids? Here's where it gets amazing. The nido coworking space connects seamlessly to their Montessori childcare program. nido has three classrooms: an Infant room, a Toddler I room, and a Toddler II/Preschool room. Their Montessori program is run by Jeannene Schnell, a professional educator with over 30 years experience working with toddlers and preschoolers. She has a real commitment to working with parents to customize the classroom to suit each child's needs. nido members participate in their child's education by occasionally serving as classroom assistants. Members can interact with their child when needed throughout the day, and nursing mothers can feed their children whenever they need to. It's a working mother's dream honestly!
Co-Founders Lis Tyroler and Tiffany Frye say it best:
"At nido, we want to simplify things for parents who are looking for a flexible lifestyle that allows them to have focused time to work while their children are also engaged in a developmentally appropriate environment. Our members value being involved with their child's education and want to be close to them during the day, but they also recognize that they need some space and quiet to do the other things in life that are important to them."
"At nido, we want to simplify things for parents who are looking for a flexible lifestyle that allows them to have focused time to work while their children are also engaged in a developmentally appropriate environment. Our members value being involved with their child's education and want to be close to them during the day, but they also recognize that they need some space and quiet to do the other things in life that are important to them."
Tiffany tells her personal story of why coworking works for her and her family: "I went back to work in my home office when my daughter was 3 months old. For a while, this was fine - great, even! But things did not remain so ideal - as soon as Ada became mobile, the days became stressful. At any one time, I either felt like I was under-performing in my job or under-performing as a mother. When I looked for options for remote workers that needed childcare, I found that there were none. There were great coworking options in the Triangle, and great daycare options, but nothing that would let me have both under the same roof. So I sat out to create nido. After a year of exploring different ways to make this happen, nido started as a residential co-op in my house in the fall of 2014. The response was so great that we decided to move forward on opening a non-residential location and building our team."
Tiffany is not only the co-founder, but also a writer, editor, and will be teaching yoga at nido. She is a great example of how this space suits her many needs as a mom and a professional.
Tiffany is not only the co-founder, but also a writer, editor, and will be teaching yoga at nido. She is a great example of how this space suits her many needs as a mom and a professional.
How does it work? First, drop by, meet the co-founders and educators. See the amazing space. Let your kids explore. There may still be time for a trial day before the summer term starts - check to be sure. Then when you're ready to join, nido offers a variety of membership levels, from 5 half days per week to a drop-in option. nido is currently accepting new members to start for the summer term cohort. Summer term starts on June 15, so hurry up and enroll already!
She's obviously not alone, because Durham is abuzz with news of nido!
"I am an original member of Nido -- back when we did all the childcare ourselves and met in the founder's house. My almost 2-year-old son has loved the Montessori experience he gets in the classroom and I have been amazed at how much I can accomplish in 4 uninterrupted hours. My son and I have both made wonderful new friends. It has been perfect for us. For me, Nido has been a wonderful way to enrich my child's life while adding some much needed balance to my own." - current nido member
"I toured the new Broad Street location with my son, husband, and mother-in-law. My son had such a good time playing with the toys in the toddler room that I think he would have been happy to stay for hours. We were all very impressed with the way the classrooms and coworking space were laid out within the charming older home setting. Lis and Tiffany have clearly put their heart and soul into this new location. My mother-in-law approved!" - Thoughts from the open house from guest Rachel
"I am an original member of Nido -- back when we did all the childcare ourselves and met in the founder's house. My almost 2-year-old son has loved the Montessori experience he gets in the classroom and I have been amazed at how much I can accomplish in 4 uninterrupted hours. My son and I have both made wonderful new friends. It has been perfect for us. For me, Nido has been a wonderful way to enrich my child's life while adding some much needed balance to my own." - current nido member
"I toured the new Broad Street location with my son, husband, and mother-in-law. My son had such a good time playing with the toys in the toddler room that I think he would have been happy to stay for hours. We were all very impressed with the way the classrooms and coworking space were laid out within the charming older home setting. Lis and Tiffany have clearly put their heart and soul into this new location. My mother-in-law approved!" - Thoughts from the open house from guest Rachel
Lis, a photographer, was a founding member of nido and her passion quickly became instrumental in the daily operations. When Tiffany decided to expand, she asked Lis to join as her partner. Lis has taken over managing the coworking elements of nido and loves being able to nurse and nap with her toddler. She finds it really rewarding to watch her child engage in the meaningful work that Montessori education facilitates while she finds fulfillment in her own work next door. Lis trained as a social worker, but found the demands incompatible with her idea of motherhood, since nothing like nido existed at the time. She feels passionately about using her social work experience to bring this unique model to parents in the triangle.
So if you've wondered if coworking really is the wave of the future,
or if at the very least it can save your sanity as a parent and make you work smarter,
come meet nido now!
Updates at: https://www.facebook.com/nidodurhamcoop
Membership details and so much more at: http://www.nidodurham.com/
or if at the very least it can save your sanity as a parent and make you work smarter,
come meet nido now!
Updates at: https://www.facebook.com/nidodurhamcoop
Membership details and so much more at: http://www.nidodurham.com/
FTC required disclosure: In exchange for a blog post, I was paid by the advertising sponsor (aka pardner). Some of the content, such as the images, are provided by the pardner for my use. I give permission for this blog post to be used in perpetuity by the pardner in their advertising. May seem silly but legally I gotta say em. Congrats for reading the fine print.
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