coworking for creche..?

[Leisa Reichelt]

hi all,

I just had a random thought, I wonder whether you'd heard anyone talk about it at all....

a bunch of women my age are all having babies at the moment. they're all professional women who would love to carry on with their career, but - realistically - there's little to no chance of them being the mothers that they want to be AND having a decent career... if you know what I mean (I'm not entirely sure that I do).

anyways - I was thinking, I wonder whether anyone had put together some kind of co working cooperative that featured a creche - so you can bring even your tiny (or not so tiny) baby to work (and others can too) and you share the cost of having someone look after them whilst you get some work done, do meetings etc. but you can also be close/on call for them.

at first blush, it seems like a concept that should work....
you guys would know more about this than me tho'... what do you think?


Leisa


________________________
Leisa Reichelt
Disambiguity.com
Contextual Research, User Centred Design & Social Design

leisa.r...@gmail.com
+44 778 071 2129

[Geoff DiMasi]

Hi Leisa,

That seems like a rich area.

My wife and I helped form a play group in our neighborhood.

This idea came up quite often... might be time to execute it.

Geoff

--------------

Geoff DiMasi

P'unk Avenue

215 755 1330

punkave.com

[Chris Messina]

This is a great idea!

In fact, Jane M. Von Bergen, the woman who wrote about Indy Hall the
other day told me about a similar group that she used to be involved
with that reminded her of coworking.... I've invited her to join this
group and give us her thoughts/ideas...

Chris

--
Chris Messina
Citizen Provocateur &
Open Source Advocate-at-Large
Work: http://citizenagency.com
Blog: http://factoryjoe.com/blog
Cell: 412 225-1051
Skype: factoryjoe
This email is: [ ] bloggable [X] ask first [ ] private

[Tara Hunt]

At BarCampBlock this last weekend, we created a Kid's Room full of bean bags, toys, markers, paper and viewable by many (in a central location). People took turns watching the kids while their parents were able to socialize, give presentations and have fun. I don't know how feasible this is everyday, but it worked well at BarcampBlock.

Tara

--
tara 'miss rogue' hunt
co-founder & CMO
Citizen Agency (www.citizenagency.com)
blog: www.horsepigcow.com
phone: 415-694-1951
fax: 415-727-5335

[kdu...@gmail.com]

Here in Seattle, we're creating a co-working space to be opened in
January 2008 - Office Nomads.

We have plans to include a kids' room - one of the conference rooms
converted to be specifically child-focused, with toys, books, and
games. While this space wouldn't be providing childcare services, it
is a quiet, out-of-the-way, hopefully entertaining place for kids to
wait in while their parent(s) complete a few tasks or a meeting.

I, myself, am a single work-from-home mom of three kids (3, 6, and 9),
all home-schooled, so family-centered co-working appeals to me, too.
If anyone in Seattle would like to connect and brainstorm
possibilities, I'd love to host a kid-friendly bbq! Please contact me
via email: ka...@officenomads.com

Kara Dugaw
Office Nomads

[Chris Messina]

Hey Kara,

It would be *awesome* if you could write up/blog your
ideas/experience/plans on this aspect of your space... it's something
that we need more information on -- and getting it on the wiki or the
Coworking blog (I can set you up as an author) would be fantastic.

Chris

[kdu...@gmail.com]

Chris ~

Yes, I'd enjoy writing about our ideas and plans! Because our space
hasn't opened yet (Jan 2008), entries will probably be few this year,
and increase as our membership grows...

Kara Dugaw
Office Nomads

[Hillary Hartley]

This is such a great idea. Seems like all it would take is a little
outreach to assess the needs of the community. Child care isn't
cheap, but the idea of sharing the cost via membership fees is
brilliant.

Most moms interested in the idea probably wouldn't be working non-stop
from 9-5. I could see doing email and kid-wrangling in the mornings,
then getting to the office late-morning/afternoon. That way the kids
would only need to be there a few hours, and would be less of a
nightmare for the sitter. :)

Definitely something to ponder... And Tara, HealthCamp sounds like a
great idea no matter what. As coworking grows roots, co-health plans
should, too.

Hillary