The playground. It’s a staple backdrop for many parents during the early years of parenthood. It’s often thought of as a place just for kids to explore, play, and grow with other kids. Kids who have no problem playing “horses” for HOURS or participating in endless games of hide and seek. But it turns out, it’s also a critically important place for parents.
The playground offers a neutral territory to connect with other parents in the community. To build relationships. To get the latest information on what’s happening at the school. To pass on advice. To share ideas. To speak the struggles of parenthood out loud to a set of people who “get it.” To process parenting in real-time.
I was a mom who took the playground chat for granted. Until, like with many things, the pandemic hit and that time/space went away. I missed the easy space to connect with other parents and work through all the parenting thoughts that rattled through my brain on a daily basis.
So, we started a podcast. Who knows if we’ll keep it up but for now, it’s a space for 2 parents (maybe some guests too at some point) to process, in real-time, all the changes the pandemic is throwing our way. First up, remote school.
Here’s the first episode—They Might Just Prove Us Wrong. Take a listen. Share your thoughts with us.
Episodes are also available via Apple Podcasts.
And for anyone interested here’s some background on the 2 moms you’ll hear talking:
I’m Aubry. I work at Sittercity and am a mom to a 3rd grader. We live in Chicago and being a city parent is VASTLY different than what I experienced growing up in the backcountry of Florida. I met Alison on the playground in the early part of my daughter’s first year in kindergarten. She’s been part of my circle of moms ever since.
Alison is also, randomly, originally from Florida. (She’s forcing me to enter Go, Gators! here). She has two daughters and the youngest is starting kindergarten this year. She’s a professional mom who masters cooking, gardening and creating adventure camps for her girls (and lots of inspo for fellow moms). She chronicles all those things at @the_chitowers on Instagram.
This podcast really is born out of our deep need to talk things out, knowing we don’t have the answers but that we also need to find them. Our hope is that it connects us to other parents on this journey and we can create a space that lets us forge this completely uncharted territory together.
We hope you’ll meet us at the (podcast) playground!
