Episode 63: Pooling Resources for Childcare Gaps with Carly Buxton
In this episode, Hannah Morgan sits down with Carly Buxton, founder of ParentSwarm, a tech platform that helps families find childcare faster and simplify coordination between parents and sitters. Carly shares how her own experience juggling teaching, parenthood, and entrepreneurship inspired her to create a tool that makes building your village easier than ever.
Together, they discuss the power of community solutions — like informal neighborhood co-ops — and why modern parents shouldn’t hesitate to ask for help. From snow-day childcare swaps to sharing babysitter contacts, this episode offers both practical ideas and inspiration to turn everyday stress into connection and support.
Key Takeaways
Share the load: Pooling resources with neighbors and friends turns childcare from a solo struggle into a team effort.
Use smart tools: Apps like ParentSwarm reduce the “text-and-wait” babysitter routine and save time.
Create co-op systems: Trade off childcare duties during snow days or school closures so everyone gets a break.
Lead with connection: Community is both a practical solution and an emotional anchor for parents.
Start where you are: Even one neighbor or classroom friend can be the start of your village.
Quotes
“Motherhood feels less lonely when you intentionally build your village.”
“We all have childcare gaps — but together, we can fill them.”
“Community isn’t a luxury; it’s a lifeline.”
“Turning snow days into co-op days transforms stress into connection.”
“Sharing resources turns parenting from overwhelming to joyful.”
Resources Mentioned
ParentSwarm – Childcare Coordination Made Simple: A tech tool for busy parents that lets you ping all your trusted sitters at once so you can fill care shifts in minutes.
Heron House Management: Virtual house management for busy families: we handle your to-dos so you can focus on what matters most.
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This episode of De-Stress the Nest is sponsored by Heron House Management.
About Heron House Management:
Heron House Management is a virtual house management service that takes the stress out of your busy life by taking on your mental load and managing your To Do list. We provide fractional virtual house management for busy families at 10, 15 and 20+ hours/month.
Meal planning, signing up for kids activities, scheduling doctor's appointments, finding a house cleaner, planning your kid's birthday party, getting quotes for that home renovation project, or scheduling a monthly date night with your significant other and so much more. We do it all!
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[00:02] Hannah Morgan:
Welcome to De-Stress the Nest, a podcast for busy parents where experts share bite-sized tips on how to create systems that minimize stress at home. I'm your host, Hannah Morgan.[00:12] Hannah Morgan:
Today’s episode is sponsored by Heron House Management — the first-ever virtual house management service that lightens your mental load by handling your to-do list with monthly subscriptions of 10, 15, and 20+ hours per month. From meal planning and doctor’s appointments to birthday parties and home projects, Heron House Management helps busy families reclaim their time and live their best lives. Learn more at heronhousemanagement.com.[00:26] Hannah Morgan:
Hi, Carly! I'm so excited to have you on the show today. Let's hear a little bit more about who you are and what you do.[00:32] Carly Buxton:
My name is Carly Buxton. I'm in Richmond, Virginia, and I run a company called ParentSwarm, which is dedicated to building tech tools to make the logistics of parenting easier. I'm a mom of two as well, and I also teach Business Communication at the University of Richmond — so I’m juggling a lot of balls, and just love what I do every day. As long as I can stay on top of it, I’m feeling great.[00:54] Hannah Morgan:
Awesome! I love that the tool you built directly impacts your quality of life, because it’s born out of your own experience as a parent juggling everything. I’m excited to chat with you today. Thanks for joining us![01:04] Carly Buxton:
I’m excited to be here![01:07] Hannah Morgan:
You have some great insight about building your village, pooling resources, and using tools to make that easier. Let’s talk about it.[01:13] Carly Buxton:
Of course! This is something I think about a lot because it’s what ParentSwarm was designed for — the idea that if you could shine the bat signal to all your trusted caregivers at once, everyone could quickly respond to help.That’s essentially what we built: a platform where you can list your go-to sitters and caregivers. Every time you need coverage, you press a button and it sends a text to all of them. Whoever’s available first grabs the shift — no more “text and wait” marathons.
[01:48] Hannah Morgan:
I love that, especially for families where both partners are involved in childcare coordination. Sometimes my husband and I will each text different babysitters and then realize both said yes![01:57] Carly Buxton:
Exactly! My husband and I use it, too — it keeps us both on the same page when there’s a cancellation or last-minute need. It gives us instant visibility into who’s available, and it really reduces the stress.But beyond the tech, I also think a lot about how families can build their village — how to widen that circle of trust. I’ve been in both situations: now I live near family in Richmond, but when I first became a mom in Boston, we had no backup, no local help, and no one to call when trains ran late or daycare closed early.
That experience inspired me to create resources for parents to connect — to help them interview, vet, and build relationships with people they can rely on.
[02:42] Carly Buxton:
Neighbors are also a huge part of that. I’m lucky to live in a family-friendly neighborhood, and we’ve actually created an impromptu co-op for snow days. It’s one of my proudest parenting wins!Richmond shuts down at the sight of snow, so schools close often — sometimes for two or three days. A few families nearby decided to rotate childcare on those days.
When it’s your turn, you take all the kids for the day — sledding, lunch, movies — and yes, it’s a full day commitment. But the other days, you get to work as usual knowing your child is having a great day just across the street.
[03:19] Hannah Morgan:
That’s brilliant! So instead of everyone struggling alone, you take turns being “on duty” — and everyone benefits.[03:25] Carly Buxton:
Exactly. It gives everyone a chance to truly unplug when it’s their turn off — and when it’s your day on, it’s almost freeing because you can stop juggling and just enjoy it.We made spaghetti and meatballs one day and let the kids build their own spaghetti bowls. It’s chaotic but so much fun!
[03:44] Hannah Morgan:
I love that. It’s such a reminder that community doesn’t just make things easier — it also makes them better.[03:51] Carly Buxton:
Totally. And even if you don’t have a neighborhood like mine, you can still start small — maybe with families from your child’s class. Out of twenty kids, a handful probably don’t have nearby family support either. You might be surprised how many people are open to teaming up.And just because someone looks like they “have it all together” doesn’t mean they don’t want more connection or support. I’m surrounded by family now, but I still get excited about new co-ops or shared-care ideas with parents from my younger child’s class.
[04:26] Hannah Morgan:
That’s so encouraging — it’s easy to assume everyone else already has help, but most of us are looking for the same thing: connection and relief.[04:34] Carly Buxton:
Exactly. And that’s the message I hope parents take away — building community isn’t a luxury, it’s essential. It makes life smoother, happier, and a lot more fun.[09:37] Hannah Morgan:
I love that. Thank you for sharing, Carly — this is so inspiring. I hope other parents start creating their own childcare pods, whether for snow days or sunny days.[09:47] Carly Buxton:
Yes! It’s such a joy once you start. Thanks so much for having me.[09:52] Hannah Morgan:
Thanks for listening to De-Stress the Nest — the podcast where experts share bite-sized tips on how to simplify your life. Don’t forget to subscribe and tune in every Tuesday for more ways to make home feel easier.
