What is our why?
Parenting can be challenging. We aren’t out to change that. That’s sort of the gift of it. But, the isolating parts of it… the feelings of shame or the experiences of loneliness…the belief that we need to navigate something so universal… all alone - we want to take a stab at ameliorating that.
Our mission:
The Den is a family forward daily retreat that empowers parents through connections to providers, educators, and community builders. We believe in a dignified and expansive parenting experience, and provide a purpose-built environment that is designed with children, parents, and facilitators in mind. We believe that parents and caregivers have important and well-deserved needs, and we exist to meet those needs.
Our Vision:
When parents are resourced and in community, they have the opportunity to shift their paradigm from meeting requirements, scarcity, and desperation to fulfillment, abundance, and inspiration. When people are in community with each other, they do more than survive - they are invited to thrive.
Our values are:
Open Mindedness: We wholeheartedly believe in connectedness and the value of storytelling + curiosity in building that connection. To know one person is not to know every person, and engaging with empathy, even in challenging situations, is expansive and worth doing.
Dignity: We believe that everyone has inherent worth, and that each person deserves to be met with compassion, care, and respect. When people are celebrated for exactly who they are they are able to direct themselves towards their fulfillment.
Communication: Asking questions and refining your understanding shows strength and confidence. Seeking clarity helps others seek clarity too, and opens the door to authentic connection. Communication is verbal and nonverbal, and taking care with both is how we show respect. We show up in our communication with directness and kindness. We use communication to push forward.
Accountability: We can only own our actions, behaviors, and impacts - and as such it’s our responsibility to do so. Your mistakes don’t define you but your response to them does. Accountability is connection in action - the knowledge that what you do impacts the environment around you.
Trust: When we engage with open mindedness, dignity, communication, and accountability, we open the door to have relationships based on authenticity and trust. Trust allows for the belief that there is an undercurrent of good intention. Trust can be grown, developed, broken, and repaired. We believe that trust is fundamental to engaging with vulnerability and truth in relationships, and we know that it requires effort and maintenance.