Since we have parents in the office that also run their own businesses, we know how tough it can be to juggle both roles. The idea of managing to sit down for a long enough time to answer your emails, do your invoicing and have a cup of coffee can sometimes feel so distant as to be laughable.
That’s why we decided to introduce child-friendly co-working. Unlike other spaces which offer costly crèche facilities, we won’t be charging any more than our usual co-working rates – just £12 a day, or £6 for half a day. Instead, we’ve taken the old adage that ‘It takes a village to raise a child,’ and decided to give the village somewhere to congregate.
Rather than leaving your kids with someone else, you keep them with you. However, the idea is that there will be enough children to play with that they can distract each other, and enough parents there that, if you need to go to the toilet, make a phone call or grab a couple of minutes peace with a cuppa, you’ll be able to, safe in the knowledge that there is someone there that can keep an eye out and grab you if needs be – and that you can do the same for them. In the meantime, you get to enjoy all the benefits of co-working – having somewhere new to work rather than just staring at the same four walls, meeting new people and being exposed to new ideas and, of course free heating, internet and tea and coffee.
As this is a brand new idea, we know there will be teething issues, and feedback from you is invaluable. That’s why, to begin with, these parent and child sessions will be free. So there’s absolutely nothing to stop you coming along and finding out why we believe this is the new best way for parents to work.