Our Story

A Note From Our Founder

Nothing transforms you quite like becoming a parent. Your relationships shift. Your priorities change. Your body, career, and sense of self may suddenly feel unfamiliar. And somewhere in the middle of this extraordinary transformation, you're expected to know how to care for a tiny human who depends on you for absolutely everything.

I first experienced this a decade ago as a new mother in New York City. As a social worker and teacher, I understood the importance of early childhood development, so when I became pregnant, I approached motherhood the way I approached most things: I did my homework. I read everything from What to Expect When You're Expecting to Spiritual Midwifery. I knew the five S's, every breastfeeding position, and how to swaddle a doll in record time. My hospital bag was packed. My birth plan was ready. I was educated, prepared, and completely in control. Until I wasn't.

My carefully planned natural birth ended with a late epidural and hours of pushing. I came home madly in love with my baby, physically exhausted, and overwhelmed by the realization that life as I knew it had changed forever. Sleep, spontaneity, and solitude suddenly felt like distant memories. I wondered how I would ever return to my demanding career. It turns out, there's only so much you can learn about parenting before becoming one.

When my daughter was six weeks old, we attended our first caregiver-and-baby class: infant massage. And something clicked. There we were, surrounded by other mothers and babies, singing, learning, and navigating this unfamiliar new world together. We stripped our babies down to their diapers, traced "I love you" across their tiny bellies, and learned simple ways to soothe their discomforts. But what stayed with me wasn't just what we learned. It was how we felt: connected, supported, a little more confident, and a lot less alone.

I began to understand the extraordinary value of spaces where education, community, and play come together naturally. By the time my second child arrived, I had built a network of support and discovered programs that made those early years richer, easier, and more joyful.

Then came the pandemic, a move to Palm Beach in 2021, and the news that we were expecting our third child. I immediately began searching for the prenatal, postpartum, and early childhood resources I had come to value so deeply. But this time, they were much harder to find. As a third-time mother, I knew what I was looking for. I kept thinking about the parents who didn't. The families new to the area. The first-time mothers and fathers navigating an overwhelming amount of information. The caregivers looking for something more meaningful than another activity to fill the day. I realized that the community I was searching for was one I could help create.

And so, in 2022, ZenHippo—my fourth baby—was born. Our mission was simple: to make it easier for families to access expert guidance, build meaningful relationships, and share joyful, developmentally rich experiences during the earliest years of childhood. Today, ZenHippo brings that vision to life through thoughtfully designed classes, inspiring educators, purposeful play, and a community of families growing alongside one another.

Here's what I've learned through three children and more than two decades working in education and social work: parenting will never be entirely predictable. It can be beautiful, exhausting, exhilarating, and overwhelming—sometimes all before breakfast. But we were never meant to do it alone. When education, community, and play come together, they don't just enrich childhood. They transform the experience of raising children.

That's what we're building at ZenHippo, and I can't wait to welcome you.