Finding Your Village
Four practical ways to build your own village and thrive.
They all say it… and we all know it’s true. "It takes a village [to raise kids].” But what good is knowing and talking about said “village” if there is no clear way to find one? It almost feels like another “to-do” that gets added on to every mom’s mile-long to-do list… the one she already has little hope of getting through. Every mom needs a village, but few moms have the time to actually seek one out or build it.
Here at June Care, we are committed to supporting moms, so that they can support other moms in return. While the solution we provide is about increasing access to childcare and income, the output is actually relationships and micro-villages that are forming between neighbors. As one of our hosts put it so eloquently the other day, “[June Care] is more than care, it’s community.” As the founder of June Care, I have had the opportunity to speak with thousands of moms and June Care users over the past few months and I wanted to share some practical ways you too can leverage our platform and find your own village of support.
1. Ask for help, even if you think you don’t “need” it.
I know you’ve got this, mama, but seriously, take a nap/shower/break/lunch with friends/shopping trip… anything to let you check something off your list and feel like a woman (& mother) again. Oftentimes we don’t take time to do the things we want to do. Instead we make small sacrifice after small sacrifice until things boil up and we think we might explode (and sometimes we kind of do explode). Some of my favorite June Care matches happen between stay-at-home moms and single working moms on the weekends. If you are a single, working mama you are a superwoman (also, please reach out to me at gretchen@junecare.co because you ladies have a special place in my heart). But scrambling to do all the things and create fun experiences for your child during the weekend is sometimes more than even superwoman can handle. By booking June Care on the weekends, parents can get a little time to do “life” while their kids are cared for and playing with new friends. Plus, our June Care hosts can earn a little extra spending money for themselves. So even if what you need childcare for doesn’t feel “critical,” make like Nike and “Just Do It.” You will have a moment to accomplish something for yourself and you will build a relationship with another local, like-minded mom in your community.
2. You’re already parenting, invite some friends over while you do it.
Caring for little kids at home is work. And I mean work work… but it’s unpaid. There are lots of reasons parents decide to stay home with their kids, and opportunities to earn an income when you are a stay-at-home parent are few and far between. Direct marketing or other “work from home” jobs can’t really be done while you are caring for your kids. Those types of opportunities become second full time jobs to your first full time job of parenting. With June Care, you earn money while you parent. Plus, we all know parenting while you have other children over is often easier anyway and more rewarding. We have families within our June Care community who are now able to rely on each other 100% of the time for their childcare and income needs. If you are a stay-at-home mom who is parenting all day everyday, consider hosting June Care during that time, too. You can share your home, love of children, skills and talents with other families in your community and make money for your own.
3. Use those Holiday/School breaks as a time to connect.
Instead of turning on the TV for the 10 days the kids are out of school for the Holidays (hey, no judgement here… I’ve done it, too), book a week (or even a few hours!) of June Care for your little ones. Your kids will be out of the house (whispered cheer), socializing with other children, playing with new toys and learning new things while you will be able to get your work done without anyone losing their temper… or additional brain cells. Holidays and school closures are also a great time to host June Care, if you have some time off work, too. We have a lot of teachers (& mothers) who host June Care during school breaks, which helps them meet new mamas and earn some extra money while they do so.
4. Put yourself out there
We know it can be scary to meet new people, but June Care makes it easy for you to put yourself out there and get connected with other local, like minded families in your neighborhood. We make it as easy as possible for you to find or host June Care with our free sign-up and personalized matching process. June Care will handle all of your scheduling, logistics and payments, so all you have to worry about is meeting someone new, having a great time and building your own village (finally!).
There has never been a more important time to start connecting again with friends and neighbors. Here at June Care, we envision a world where neighbors can rely on each other again, where kids get to play with each other (in person!) and moms get to have the support network they need to be their best selves and live their best lives. It is an honor and a privilege every time we get to make a new match and see communities start to blossom again.
June Care is moms supporting moms in their most important work. Sign up today to join the movement back to authentic community. It’s free to build your profile and get matched by our June Care matching specialists. See you there!
