Every working parent knows that the right childcare arrangements are the bedrock of a functioning routine. Yet the realities of modern life (and the modern workplace) have made nailing down a solution more challenging than ever before. At VIDA, we’re hoping to give members a new option with flexible onsite childcare to help balance work and family needs.  

Megan, mother to a four-year-old son and a vice president at a Portland consulting firm, says coordinating childcare and her work schedule poses a particular challenge during the several weeks a year her son’s preschool closes for breaks.

“While the preschool teachers need and deserve those breaks, finding care coverage during those closures can be really tough,” says Megan. “And not finding coverage and trying to work with a child at home is even tougher. Often there are a few days when I have my son and must try to entertain him while simultaneously working, or try to work ahead at night so I can spend time with him during the day. Both options are exhausting and not very fun.”

Late meetings or after-work happy hours also pose a challenge. “There have been times lately when my boss has held 5 p.m. meetings, perhaps not realizing how horribly inconvenient this time is for people with children,” says Megan. “Having my son onsite where I worked would make it so much easier to attend these late-in-the-day meetings without scrambling to coordinate pick-up coverage or having to make the difficult choice of leaving the meeting early.”

At VIDA, we know that flexible, reliable childcare can be one of parents’ most valuable assets. That’s why we’ve decided to offer drop-in, onsite childcare tailored to the needs of working families.

We’ll have morning sessions for preschoolers, with a wide range of packages that let you customize care to your needs. Afternoon programming for school-aged kids helps you bridge that gap between the end of your children’s days and yours, and a multidisciplinary summer camp makes the summer child care scramble a thing of the past.

Best of all, everything will happen right onsite, which means popping down for a little playtime between conference calls is now very much on the table.