Two Brunswick Forest moms, neighbors and friends, Jessica Middleswarth and Liz Long, were trying to come up with a business idea they could launch a couple of years ago. During their brainstorming sessions, though, the two entrepreneurs discovered that everything they wanted to do would require flexible and reliable childcare. Eventually, the two looked at each other and realized THAT was the business their town needed: flexible, affordable, premiere childcare. KinderStop opens in Leland today.
Jessica and Liz weren’t too far into their process when they knew that another friend and neighbor of theirs, Lisa Dobstaff, would be critical to the business. Lisa holds a degree in early education and was a preK teacher. When Jessica and Liz approached Lisa about their idea, Lisa was enthusiastic. The three officially became business partners and, after a Hurricane-related delay, KinderStop is now ready for your kids! And while drop-in childcare for kids ages 1 to 12 is the primary service KinderStop offers, planned programming is much more
“We all bring something different to the table,” Lisa explained, “but together we are the ‘Dream Team!'”
KinderStop is in a bright, airy space in the Waterford Village near Port City Java. Light streams in and high-quality CedarWorks play structures command the middle of the room. Along the back wall is a village, an area with a lending library, train depot, and kitchen. A stage is up front ready for dress-up and performances. A special tween room has a movable T.V. and gaming system as well as a climbing wall and a sofa. There is a safe and specially designated area for crawlers.
Lisa’s eyes lit up as she explained the plans to showcase children’s artwork and highlight a “kind kid” of the week.
“We wanted to elevate the idea of drop-in childcare,” Jessica shared. “We want kids to ask to be here, to be a place where they want to go, and we want parents to feel good about leaving them here.”
But what makes KinderStop especially unique is its focus on inclusion. Jessica is a mother to a child diagnosed with autism and it was incredibly important to her that KinderStop be a place that all children, those with special requirements as well as typically developing children, could come
The KinderStop “Dream Team” worked with the Autism Society of North Carolina to create specialized staff training and behavioral protocols. To that end, at KinderStop is a “Kinder Calm” room, with less sensory stimulation, for children who may feel more comfortable there. Staff is trained to help with and ultimately prevent overwhelm in children.
So committed are they to the
“We are a pioneer when it comes to focusing on inclusion,” Jessica said. “Parents know what their child needs and what they can handle, and we want to be an option for those moms who desperately need a break.”
“We’ve all been there,” Liz added. “Parenting is hard. And it’s okay to take a break and get some help!”
KinderStop is also a stand-out in the way it straddles education and childcare. Jessica, Liz, and Lisa have thought long and hard about a place they would want to leave their children (there are eight children 10 and under between the three moms), and then worked to develop it.
“We are trying to find a happy medium,” Jessica explained. “We are not a structured education system at KinderStop, but we do want the kids to be enriched while they are here.”
For this mom-team, this translates to no video games for younger kids, and only nonviolent games for the tween room. They want to encourage children to leave portable electronic devices in the car and enter KinderStop ready to engage. There will be guided play options as well as art time. Movies will be shown in the main room only during special evening hours and events.
When asked, ‘Why Leland?’ the three moms hesitated to admit they had originally been considering locations over the bridge to gain access to a larger population. But Jessica, who is on the Town of Leland’s Parks & Recreation Board, saw recent demographics for Leland and was blown away by the amount of growth. And growth in the right demographic for their business: the 40-year-old group with 2.5 kids.
“Leland is such a family-friendly place,” Liz said. “There is such a close-knit community here and after we moved our family to Brunswick Forest, we never looked back. We love it here.”
Other details you may want to know: KinderStop is a nut-free environment and provides snacks for children. Birthday parties as well as “Watch Me Play” events for parents to enjoy the space with their children will be offered.
KinderStop will also provide afterschool care, complete with pick up (provided that there is a minimum of four children from the school registered). There will be summer camps as well as intercession camps for year-round schedules.
Learn more about KinderStop Flexible Childcare
online at www.kinderstopkids.com or follow them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/kinderstopkids.
KinderStop is located at
511 Olde Waterford Way
Leland, NC
(910) 408-1888
