Name: Zoë Schiffer
Title: Contributor
You’re originally from Santa Barbara but recently lived in the Bay Area. What brought you back? I moved back in December to have a baby. Originally, my plan was to return to Oakland in May, when my maternity leave ended. Right after my daughter was born, I just thought, “There’s no way.” I need my mom!
How did you identify the families to profile for the story? My goal was just to find people from different backgrounds who had different options available to them in terms of childcare. I interviewed a bunch of families and picked five who I felt like had unique but relatable perspectives.
What did you and your husband wind up doing for childcare? We ended up finding a family friend, Jill, to watch the baby about 20 hours a week. She’s incredible — every single day, I wake up and think, “Our household would grind to a halt if Jill left us.” My husband and I both work full-time, so we juggle the other hours between a nanny share, family, and trading off with whoever isn’t in a meeting.
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