Childcare - both the quality and the range of options - varies massively across Europe. The founders of Peachies, which Morgan and Rima describe as a company with one soul and two hearts in London and Vienna, are constantly comparing notes. They shared with us that for finding the balance they want in their professional and personal lives, childcare is a big question. This question drives Bubble. We still see after 6 years that new parents, like the Peachies founders, experience shock and frustration when they realise how limited childcare options are.
Peachies launched in June - three months before Morgan’s due date with her first little one. “Quickly after learning I was pregnant my thoughts turned to how I would manage childcare with a new business and a new baby. I already know that we have a month where bubba won’t yet be in nursery and we’ll both be back at work. I’ve been wracking my brain to figure out how to manage that time. Reliability and security are critical considerations and that’s why knowing Bubble exists and that my friends use it is a game-changer. Even more so because my partner and I are expats therefore we don’t have family close by. Bubble provides peace of mind that I can juggle both what my family and my business need.”
By arguably all measures, childcare in Austria is more inclusive than in the UK. Feel free to skip the rest of this paragraph if you want to avoid data that outlines how comparatively tragic the UK’s childcare situation is. Parents in the UK spend 33.8% of their income on childcare, whereas Austrian couples spend less than 4% due to government benefits and programs, according to Expatica which combs government sources for the most up to date info to support expatriate families. Since 2009, part-time daycare is free for under-fives throughout Austria. In 2010, preschool education became compulsory and childcare is free of charge in some provinces, including Vienna, up until the age of six.
It’s better, significantly better, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t gaps that need to be filled, however, Rima points out. “There is no Bubble equivalent in Austria that gives you the same confidence and flexibility. I’m a bonus mum to three children ages 9, 7 and 4 with different schedules, in addition to our own hectic diaries. The best option we have is a service where you source both domestic services from plumbers to cleaning teams and childcare. When it comes to your kids, you want dedicated expertise and it blows our minds that this is so hard to find in a community as equipped for childcare as Austria. Bubble, when are you coming to Europe?”
Whether it is in their personal lives or as part of their journey of building a nappy company, Rima and Morgan have a front row view of the challenges young families face. The frustration parents and child carers experience with nappy changes inspired them to create Peachies. Like us at Bubble, they saw an opportunity to upgrade a broken system.
Morgan noted that: “Nappies are necessary yet overlooked and create a lot of waste. We also saw that the traditional retail service design doesn’t fit the lifestyle of today’s families.” Rima added: “Peachies is about not only taking the headache out of finding the right nappy for your little one - our design focuses on comfort, safety and heavy-duty protection on leaks - but also, removing the hassle of buying nappies. We want you to have longer nights of sleep and spare you the emergency store runs to buy a pack."
Bonus: You can use code PEACHIES15 until 31 Aug 2023 for 15% off a sitter session for a date night, dash to a meeting, whatever you need.
