On Monday, we gathered at the Community Hub to talk about parenting but what unfolded was something much deeper.

Again and again, the same themes surfaced. Parents want wholesome physical and social activities that maximise connection, belonging and supportive growth for everyone. They want to feel supported and safe. They want their children to grow up deeply connected and engaged in nourishing relationships. More than anything, parents want a place where everyone belongs.

A place where people are connected across generations, grandparents, parents, children who are not looking down at their phones, but looking at each other. Talking. Listening. Sharing stories. Giving back. Helping and learning from one another.

There was deep appreciation for the outstanding opportunities our mountain and the lake environment offer. Parents spoke about wanting more informal, affordable ways to gather. Walks - Swims - Shared meals - Community events that feel accessible and real. Spaces where families can explore, grow and simply be together.

And then it struck us.

Not one person asked for better schools. Not one mentioned better roads. No one spoke about more shops, more technology, bigger houses or greater material wealth. No one is asking for more. If anything, they’re really asking for less. The beauty is in the simplicity. 

The real richness? 

A deeply connected community of families, helping each other thrive. So, we have been sitting with this question: if we already know what we value; belonging, safety, presence, shared experiences, what is it that we allow into our family life that drives us so far away from pursuing the lives we truly, deeply value?

Is it busyness? Comparison? Distraction? The quiet creep of convenience over connection? And what can we do next to support one another and hunt more of the good stuff? Because the good stuff isn’t that complicated. It’s in the mountains. It’s in the lake. It’s around the dinner table. It’s in the spaces where we choose to look up and truly see each other.

Maybe the future we’re craving isn’t something we need to build from scratch?

Maybe it’s something we already have and simply need to protect and nurture together.

Ali & Gemma.