2025 in a Lookback

As we look back on 2025, our observations inside Nooks have quietly reinforced why childcare needs to evolve.

We began with a simple intention: create a warm space where children could play and parents could take a breath. But this year revealed something deeper. Parents started treating Nook time as a reliable block for focused work,  a few hours of steady concentration they hadn’t experienced in months or years. This wasn’t something we advertised or expected; it emerged as a real need in families’ lives.

And so we adapted.

We extended Nooks to four hours in some locations, introduced nap-friendly rhythms for babies/toddlers, and shifted session flow based on the energy in the room. None of these adjustments were planned at the start of the year. They emerged from paying attention to what parents and children were actually experiencing.

What stood out most was how much parents valued being heard. They noticed when their feedback shaped the environment. They noticed when we tried to accommodate their realities. And that trust showed us something important:

Traditional childcare systems, designed around rigid schedules and standardized routines, leave little room for relational flexibility or parent-driven adjustments.

We are not perfect, and not every experiment worked. But 2025 made one truth clear: families are seeking care models that grow with them, models that treat childcare as a shared, evolving collaboration.

Small, adaptive, human-scale care isn’t just a nice idea. It is becoming a necessity for families navigating modern life.

With Gratitude

None of this work happens in isolation. The evolution of Nooks in 2025 was made possible because an entire community believed in the idea of small, relational, adaptive care.

We are deeply grateful to our space partners — Cupertino Music Nook at Be Natural Music, Canon Music, Milpitas Music, and The Nesting Spot — for opening their doors, trusting the process, and allowing children and families to shape these environments alongside us.

These spaces held the early experiments, the quiet adjustments, and the unexpected learnings that helped Nooks evolve this year. 

A heartfelt thank you to Virginia and Robin, who are parents themselves and accomplished teachers, doulas, and steady anchors in the Nook. Their presence, intuition, and care supported both children and parents through first separations, shifting rhythms, and the gentle work of building trust. They didn’t just participate in the project; they believed in it, and that belief made the work possible.

We are learning together, adapting together, and slowly shaping a way of holding care that feels more human, more responsive, and more connected.

To the parents who believed in us — thank you. You helped shape these small spaces with your honesty, your hope, and your willingness to try something new.All of us are creator of these spaces together.

From these reflections emerged our idea of malleable nodes — a network theory concept we’re adapting for real-life care environments. I’m excited to explore how Nooks can grow into spaces that are not only living and active, but also present a technical problem to solve.

Parent Voices

One of the most meaningful parts of this year has been hearing directly from parents about their experiences inside the Nook. Their reflections help us understand what’s working, where adjustments are needed, and how these small spaces are supporting families in real and personal ways.

Here is one parent’s experience from The Nesting Spot:

The Parenting Nook at The Nesting Spot is so warm, comforting and caring. As a new mom looking to start my son in more social activities Robin and Virginia were so helpful with that transition. My son did not make it easy some days and they comforted him with grace and love. I will most certainly be looking for sessions in the future! — Parent at The Nesting Spot Nook

This kind of feedback reminds us why we hold Nooks the way we do, slowly, responsively, and with deep attention to both the child and the parent.

Where We Failed

While this year brought many positive shifts for Nooks, we also experienced failures, important ones that taught us where our model is still fragile and what needs more care and attention.

There were moments when parents deeply wanted a Nook in their own neighborhood. One mother, after attending our series regularly, was so inspired that she hoped to recreate the experience closer to home. We found a space partner who believed in the idea and was willing to host. But despite the enthusiasm, we couldn’t gather enough families in that neighborhood to make the Nook sustainable.

This happened again with another parent who wished for consistent sessions. Interest was real, intention was strong, but enrollment was not steady enough for us to hold Nooks regularly. And this understanding will shape how we approach new Nooks in 2026, more carefully, more intentionally, and with a clearer sense of what conditions allow a Nook to take root.

Just so you all are aware a to make it a Nook we would need 3-4 children minimum.

What we learnt: 

(Focusing on principles and what we are learning in practice)

The gaps in childcare today aren’t simply logistical; they’re relational. Children need environments that adapt to their rhythms, and parents need support that acknowledges the emotional complexity of early childhood and the need of a community to look forward to and learn. 

Nooks grew out of observing these gaps and responding with grounded, human-centered practices.

1. Small, Adaptive Group Settings

Instead of scaling up through larger classrooms or rigid structures, Nooks intentionally scale down. Smaller groups allow children to settle at their own pace and give caregivers space to truly observe and respond. This isn’t about offering “more attention” it’s about creating an environment where attention becomes possible by design.

2. Real-Time Adjustment

While routines exist, they aren’t treated as immovable. If children arrive with low energy, the rhythm softens. If the group is deeply engaged, a facilitator may extend that moment rather than redirect it. This responsiveness mirrors how young children actually develop: in irregular, nonlinear patterns.

3. Caregivers Who Support Both Child and Parent

Transitions especially early ones  are shared emotional experiences. Facilitators support both sides, offering parents strategies and language that help them feel grounded, which in turn helps children explore with confidence.

4. A Gentle Introduction to Separation

For many families, a Nook is the very first setting outside the home. Facilitators take cues from each child’s readiness rather than assuming uniform timelines. Some children settle quickly; others need closeness or a slower transition. This respect for individuality eases the emotional weight of early separations.

5. Environments Designed for Open-Ended Play

Play materials invite exploration rather than production. A child can enter play quietly or boldly, alone or with others. This flexibility builds confidence and autonomy, especially for children new to group settings.

6. A Space for Parents to Connect and Reflect

Traditional childcare often removes the parent from the experience. Nooks naturally become gathering places where parents share concerns, gain perspective, and feel less alone in the challenges of early childhood. This community layer addresses a need most childcare systems aren’t built to hold.

7. Observation as a Core Practice

Instead of managing behavior, facilitators tune in:

• What is the child working through today?
• What new shifts are emerging week to week?
• What does this moment ask of the environment?

This observational stance allows the space to evolve in subtle, meaningful ways.

8. Parents Are Finding Real Time to Work

When we first imagined Nooks, the intention was simple: a gentle space where parents could take a break while their children played. But an important shift emerged this year.

More parents began using Nook time to work, write, finish projects, repay “focus debt,” and catch up on tasks that require uninterrupted concentration. Not every parent uses the time this way, and we are far from perfect, but for many families, it’s working.

This tells us that supportive, child-centered care can also create pockets of stability and productivity for parents  something modern family life rarely provides.

9. Parents See Their Feedback Shape the Space

One of the clearest signals we’ve received is how deeply parents value being heard.

In many childcare settings, families adapt to the system; their needs are acknowledged but rarely integrated. What we see inside Nooks is the opposite: parents notice when adjustments are made based on what their child and their family needs.

This year, parent conversations led us to:

• extend some Nooks to four hours,
• introduce nap-time adjustments for toddlers, and
• shift session rhythms based on how children entered the space.

None of this was pre-planned. These adaptations emerged from listening, observing, and responding in ways that felt humane and workable.

Parents choosing alternate care models are not seeking luxury they’re seeking flexibility, relational responsiveness, and environments shaped by real-time family needs.

The willingness to adapt, even in small ways, reveals the size of the gap families are navigating.

10. Helping Neighborhood Businesses Generate Revenue in Unused Hours

Another important learning this year was how meaningful Nooks can be for neighborhood businesses. By hosting sessions during their quieter or unused hours, local music studios, community spaces, and small businesses were able to generate additional revenue without changing their core operations. This partnership model not only supports families but also strengthens local businesses creating a shared, community-based ecosystem where everyone benefits.

Join the Waitlist

If you’re a parent who would love a Nook in your neighborhood, or if you’ve been hoping for more regular sessions, we would love to hear from you. One thing we learned this year is that Nooks take root when a small group of families is ready at the same time.

To help us understand where to grow next, we’ve opened a simple Nook Waitlist. Joining doesn’t commit you to anything — it just lets us know where interest is gathering and which communities may be ready for a Nook.

Let’s change how we hold parent care and childcare, not through systems that ask families to adjust, but through environments that adapt to them.

Happy Holidays from all of us at Parents’ Nook.

As we take a few days to reflect and work on our programming for the year ahead, we want to pause and express our heartfelt gratitude. Thank you for your support, your trust, and your belief in this small, growing community.

We will soon share more on our upcoming Nooks and start dates.

We are humbled by the families, facilitators, and partners who make Nooks possible, and we look forward to continuing this work together in the coming year.

Tanaya and Virginia

On behalf of the Parents’ Nook Team

Note: Thanks to Virginia for going through the draft.