Mimi here, answering a question for a very sleep-deprived, burnt-out, mentally and physically and spiritually overtaxed friend*: Where can you go to be an actually productive member of society with a little kid in tow?

Reality check: *It's me. I'm the friend.

• I had my first baby six months ago, and since then I've had my eyes peeled for local spots with built-in child care.

Why it matters: Finding a sitter is hard, especially if you don't live near family. And sometimes all you want is someone to watch your little one for an hour on a weekend to get in a quick workout or, I don't know, have a coherent thought.

Plus: If I have to ask one more rando in line at the grocery store to just watch my kid for a sec, I'm pretty sure someone is going to call child protective services on me.

Here are some places with child care that are on my list to check out:

Drop-in spots:

🧸 Mulberry Lane | Capitol Hill

The cafe-meets-play space recently shuttered its original Del Ray location, but it still has a Capitol Hill outpost.

• Parents can drop the nuggets off and work or peacefully dissociate from their bodies at the on-site cafe, or head to one of the spots inside The Roost food hall. Both drop-in passes and bulk purchases are available.

🌙 Pink Moon | Bethesda

This Maryland gathering spot for moms offers workout classes — like strength training and yoga — with on-site child care.

• There's also an on-site lounge where you can hang with other parents or take a meeting, plus a play space to entertain the wildebeests. Drop-ins and memberships are both available.

🏋️ Burn Boot Camp | Multiple locations

Most of this strength/HIIT group's locations offer classes that come with a child watch option, and there are tons of outposts across the DMV.

• Exact drop-in rates vary, but newbies get a free trial.

Membership spots:

🏃 YMCA | Multiple locations

Many YMCAs have child care centers where your kids can hang while you work out. (Or, you know, simply lie down between the ellipticals and cry while listening to a dragon smut audiobook. Zeroooo judgment.)

• Local options include the YMCA off U Street, as well as locations in Alexandria and Bethesda.

More membership spots

The number of federal jobs in the DMV plummeted from nearly 376,000 at the start of President Trump's second term to 312,500 in May.

Why it matters: That's Elon Musk's chainsaw, plus steady trims to the federal workforce even after DOGE ended, and the primary reason why the District finds itself in a mild recession.

📉 By the numbers: Federal jobs in the D.C. region are thus at their lowest level in 30 years, per the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments.

• The job losses continued into the new year, dropping 0.6% between January and May.
• The tally includes all jobs within the Washington region, stretching out to the far exurbs.

Driving the news: Laid off federal workers rallied at an event called "The Missing Badge" on Capitol Hill on Thursday.

• It had been a year since the State Department abruptly let go more than 1,300 employees in a single day, around the time when USAID was being hollowed out.
• Labor unions and Democratic members of Congress attended the event, meant to show "why rebuilding that expertise matters" for the federal government.

Share this story

💧 After being drained, the Reflecting Pool is looking more gray than the "American flag blue" that President Trump ordered to the tune of $14.7 million. Meanwhile, a Washington Post analysis finds peeling paint was likely caused by application flaws, not vandalism.

🌳 In Adams Morgan, a bureaucratic saga is frustrating longtime residents who have wanted to rename a slice of public parkland in honor of a community leader who died in 2003. "How many DC agencies does it take to post a park sign?" one neighbor frets. (WaPo)

🌉 The last streetcar bridge in D.C. that once linked Glen Echo Park to Georgetown, is rotting and soon will be demolished by NPS. (WTOP)

• There've been periodic attempts to advocate for a biker-pedestrian trail on the site, but it hasn't gained traction.

National Ice Cream Day is Sunday, and D.C. area scoop shops are celebrating with freebies, specials and World Cup parties.

Why it matters: We don't usually celebrate faux food holidays, but Ice Cream Day is legit — thanks, President Reagan — and full of sweet treats.

🍨 Yala (Georgetown) is turning Sunday's World Cup final into an all-day ice cream party, with country-inspired flavors like Argentina's dulce de leche and Spain's Basque cheesecake, giveaways and a fundraiser benefiting DC Scores.

🍯 Jeni's is giving customers free fudge or caramel sauces with any scoop shop order on Sunday.

🚇 Metrobar (Brightwood) is pairing the World Cup final with ice cream and cocktails during Sunday's watch party.

🎁 Sarah's Handmade Ice Cream (MoCo) is offering a $10 bonus e-gift card with every $50 gift card purchase through Sunday.

🍫 And next week: Dolcezza is marking 22 years with free scoops of its limited-edition Chocotorta gelato, Tuesday from 5-7pm, at all locations except the Hirshhorn.

Mimi led an Axios conversation at D.C.'s Long View Gallery yesterday on the future of housing.

• She chatted with National Multifamily Housing Council president Sharon Wilson Géno about what the recently passed 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act means for Americans, what's next in housing innovation, and what role sustainability is playing in building more homes.

Watch the full conversation here.