Exploring Life & Business with Sarah Rockwood of Honeysuckle House

Today we’d like to introduce you to Sarah Rockwood. 

Hi Sarah, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstories with our readers.
After a decade in the field of Early Childhood Education, I found myself at exactly the right point to open my own preschool. It was terrifying, but there was nothing left to do but make the leap. I opened my in-home preschool, Honeysuckle House, in May of this year and have never looked back. 

I really wanted to reframe what in-home childcare looks like. I wanted to provide a high-quality and research-driven early education experience in an intimate and warm setting. It’s my personal belief that large childcare centers have more problems than perks due to the sheer volume of children and families packed into the same program. Because I keep Honeysuckle House capped at only six children, I am able to individualize not only the child’s experience but the family’s experience as well. 

What I’ve heard over and over these past few years from parents is the common refrain “where is my village?” With Honeysuckle House, I want families to feel like they’ve found their village. 

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
All the adversity I’ve faced after a decade in a critically undervalued and underpaid field chewed me up and spit me out a much tougher version of my younger self. 

Working in ECE is tough. The burnout level is insane. Childcare centers often have massive turnover rates because it just isn’t feasible to give that much of yourself to a job for minimum wage. 

As far as the conception and creation of Honeysuckle House, that has been a beautifully smooth process. I had so much experience with licensing, so getting licensed and approved was easier for me to navigate than if I went in totally green. 

The families that enrolled in Honeysuckle House did so because they genuinely believe in the work I’m doing. These aren’t just families who need to drop their kid off somewhere- these are families who deeply believe in the good of play-based early childhood education and are looking for something special for their children. 

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Honeysuckle House is a play-based developmental preschool for children 12 months and up. 

I like to say we’re research-driven because I deeply believe in best practices with young children and refuse to force developmentally inappropriate practices in the name of “kindergarten readiness.” 

I am horrified by how many childcare centers are expecting rigorous academic work from preschoolers. We have decades of academic and developmental research that shows us that uninterrupted play-based learning is the ONLY way. 

I am an educated and experienced professional and I respect the weight of the work I do. I like to tell families in my care “you are the expert on your child, I am the expert in group care- let’s team up and make this the most joyful, nurturing, and enriching experience possible.” 

As for what sets me apart, I think just about everything! Our days are spent flowing indoors and outdoors as we please. We dance all day every day, we cook lunch together each day, and eat as a family. I provide all meals and snacks, and cooking is a huge part of our day. Yesterday we had red bean buns for our morning snack and later we made a tikka masala tofu dish from scratch together. What sets me apart is me! I believe in myself and what I am doing very deeply… 

How can people work with you, collaborate with you, or support you?
As far as support, respect childcare workers. Listen to our cries for higher wages. Advocate for us. Demand wage transparency from your child’s childcare institution. The pandemic showed us how viral childcare is to our economy and quality of life, yet as we emerge, we are facing the same problems as before. 

This is a field made up almost totally by BIPOC women, so it’s no surprise that it is monumentally undervalued in America. We need parent support now more than ever. 

Don’t call it daycare! It is childcare. It is preschool. I’m not a “daycare lady” I’m a preschool owner and educator. 

Contact Info:

• Instagram: honeysucklehousela

Image Credits
James Juarez