Today we’d like to introduce you to Jordin Rivera.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I’m a Texas native, and Austin has always been “home” to me. Growing up here shaped a lot of what I value now—community, creativity, time outside, and creating a life that feels a little more personal and intentional.
I’ve worked with children for more than 13 years, but my path hasn’t exactly been traditional. I’ve always naturally connected with children (and animals!), and providing childcare helped bring in extra money through college. That eventually led to teaching English to children while studying abroad in Spain, where I developed a love for travel and went on to have some incredible experiences as an au pair in Germany, Spain, and Austria.
When I came home, I couldn’t stop thinking about going back. My plan became: move to New York City, work as much as I could, save everything, and get back to Europe. I landed several nanny and household manager jobs, plus a dog-walking job, and for months I worked every single day, averaging about 30,000 steps a day. Somewhere in the middle of all that, I met my now-husband.
I somehow convinced him to join me. We saved, sold nearly everything we owned, and left to travel through Europe with no real end date. A few months later, life brought us back to Austin when my grandfather became ill. He was a father figure to me, and we were able to get married at his bedside, with him there to witness it, before he passed.
Austin became home again, this time in a completely different way. I became a mom, and I started thinking more intentionally about the kind of life and childhood I wanted to create—not just for my own children, but for myself too.
Creativity has always been a big part of that. I’m someone who is constantly dabbling in something. I paint, crochet, write, sing, play guitar, garden, take photographs, and probably have more half-finished creative projects than I’d like to admit. I also maintain a tiny free library outside our home, which has become my own little way of contributing to my community. I’ve never really felt the need to fit into one creative box; I just genuinely enjoy making things, learning new things, and finding ways to make everyday life a little more interesting and beautiful.
That same mindset eventually found its way into my professional life. After becoming a mother, I started looking at childcare through an entirely new lens and realized there was a space between traditional daycare and having a private nanny that I wished existed—something small and home-like, but still intentional, enriching, and professional.
That idea became Eat Play Learn in 2022, a tiny home-based childcare program that has now allowed me to be part of the lives of more than 30 local families. In a lot of ways, it brings all the different pieces of my life together—children, creativity, community, the outdoors, and the freedom to do things a little differently.
My path has definitely wandered, but I think that’s what I like most about it. I’ve never had one perfectly mapped-out version of what my life or career was supposed to look like. I’ve followed the things I’ve been curious about, taken a few chances along the way, and somehow they’ve all continued to lead me back home.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Definitely not—and I’m not sure any worthwhile career path really is. One of the biggest challenges has been learning how to build a business while also raising a family, especially when the business itself is so personal and hands-on.
When I started Eat Play Learn, I wasn’t just the owner- I was the caregiver, teacher, planner, cook, cleaner, administrator, and everything in between. There’s no calling in sick or passing something off to another department. Learning how to create boundaries, manage the business side of things, and still be present for my own family has probably been my biggest learning curve.There’s a unique vulnerability that comes with running such a small childcare program. Children grow up and age out, families move, schedules change, and life happens. When you intentionally stay small, even one family moving on can make a big difference. I’ve had to learn to embrace that uncertainty rather than let it push me into growing beyond what feels right.
Motherhood has brought its own seasons of change, too. I’ve adapted the program through pregnancies, babies, changing school schedules, and the evolving needs of my own children, all while continuing to show up for the families who trust me with theirs.
The childcare and nanny market has also changed quite a bit. The field has grown and become increasingly competitive, and recently it’s taken a little more time to find families who are the right fit for such a unique model of care. That can be challenging, but it has also made me more confident in what I’ve built. I know what I offer, and seeing the relationships we’ve built and the experiences families have had with Eat Play Learn reminds me why I’ve chosen to keep it small and personal.
Success for me isn’t necessarily having the biggest program or serving the most families. It’s doing meaningful work, being present for my own family, and continuing to create something that still feels like me.
As you know, we’re big fans of Eat Play Learn Austin. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Eat Play Learn is a very small, home-based childcare program here in South Austin. I created it to fill the space between a private nanny and traditional daycare. Families get the consistency and individualized attention of experienced, professional nanny care, while children still get the friendships, play, and experiences that come from being part of a little group.
What sets EPL apart most is the size of the program and the experience I bring to it. I intentionally care for no more than four children at a time, and I’ve never had the goal of turning Eat Play Learn into a large childcare center. Keeping it small allows me to really know each child- their personality, routines, interests, developmental stage, and even the little things that make them feel comfortable and at home.
Our days are centered around real childhood. We garden, paint, sing, read, go on walks, play outside, create things, eat healthy meals together, and leave plenty of room for unstructured play. I believe young children learn an incredible amount simply by being included in everyday life, exploring their environment, and having a trusted caregiver who is genuinely engaged with them.
I specialize in infant and toddler care, am a member of the NCSA, and am currently working toward certifications as a Newborn Care Specialist and postpartum doula. My years as a professional nanny have really shaped the way I run the program. I’ve learned that great childcare requires more than simply being good with children- it takes experience, professionalism, intuition, reliability, and the ability to understand each child as an individual. I bring that same level of personal care into a small group setting rather than expecting every child to fit into one rigid schedule or approach.
Brand-wise, I’m probably most proud that Eat Play Learn has stayed true to what I originally wanted it to be. Growth is so often measured by becoming bigger, but I’ve continuously realized that bigger isn’t my goal. I want families to walk in and feel like they’ve found a second home for their child. And I want the children in my care to look back at these years (even if only through photographs and stories) and know they spent them playing, exploring, getting messy, being loved, and simply getting to be little.
We’d love to hear about how you think about risk taking?
I think I’m a bit of a risk-taker, but I’m not someone who jumps without thinking. Some of the best things in my life have happened when I was willing to choose the scarier, less certain path. Studying abroad, working as an au pair in different countries, moving to New York City without ever having visited, and eventually selling nearly everything I owned to travel through Europe without a real end date were all risks in their own way. Starting Eat Play Learn was another. There was definitely a safer route, but I had an idea for something different and wanted to see if I could make it work.
Running a business that I intentionally keep small is also a continued risk. There’s less financial predictability when you only serve a handful of families, and I’ve had to trust that staying true to what makes the program special is more important than growing simply for the sake of growth. My relationship with risk has changed as I’ve gotten older and become a mom. I have more to consider now, so I’m probably more thoughtful about the decisions I make. At the same time, losing my dad at a young age gave me a strong sense of perspective and reminded me that we’re only here for a short time. I don’t want fear of uncertainty to make all of my decisions for me.
I’m a true believer in pursuing whatever inspires you. It may not happen all at once, but it becomes possible when you keep taking even small steps toward it. So far, the chapters of my life that I’m most grateful for have often started with an idea that other people thought was a little crazy.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://eatplaylearnaustin.com
- Instagram: @mrsjordinnikole
