Parent networking sites

Nothing beats Facebook for showing off pics of your little darlings and reconnecting with old friends. But when you’re looking for more useful info than “25 things you didn’t know about [insert random high-school acquaintance here]”—like which pediatric dentist to use in your area or how to know if your baby might be colicky—there’s a whole world of networking sites waiting to connect you with your parent brethren.

One of the largest, CafeMom.com, launched in 2007 and has quickly grown to include more than 1 million users who scan more than 6,000 different topic groups spanning subjects as varied as Disney World vacations to bisexual moms and pretty much everything in between. Discussions run the gamut, too, from pop-fluff chatter about Jon and Kate Gosselin’s parenting to real-deal heated conversations about abortion and the stay-at-home versus working mom debate.

Moms log on to visit their favorite groups, post questions, share parenting advice, upload photos and take polls. Our recent search of “sunscreen allergy” turned up member photos of their kids’ lotion-related rashes (icky, but interesting), suggestions for what might be causing an allergy (the ingredient PABA, perhaps?) and alternative product suggestions—all in less time than a call to the doc might have taken.

Recognizing the plethora of sites, blogs and online chats for mothers and the lack of a similar Internet bonding experience for fathers, Chicago marketing executive Keith Kriegler created DadItUp.com, a networking site specifically for dads to do the same thing so many moms do—reach out to one another via the Internet, many a harried parent’s most convenient source to the outside world. An advisory panel on the site includes a family law attorney and clinical psychologist, who blog and hold weekly live chat sessions.

Kriegler, a divorced dad interested in finding new ways to connect with his own tween daughter, concurrently launched MyDadnMe.com, a site specifically for kids and grown-up family members to interact. It includes a messaging area, photo gallery, online games and quizzes, electronic greeting cards and suggestions for offline parent-child activities. Adults create and manage family accounts to ensure security.

Sites with a loyal local following, like the online arm of community group Neighborhood Parents Network (npnparents.org) cater to families with boards posting available nannies, homes for sale and lists of local playgroups. Lively discussions help Chicago parents navigate the tricky school-selection process and offer forums to parents of practically every niche, from those with multiples to ones who live in specific zip codes.

Another, ChicagoMomsLikeMe.com, is for local moms (and dads) looking for ideas to help them be budget-savvy. In addition to a recipe-sharing page, photo and video portals, there are also printable coupons, a marketplace with “for-sale” and “looking for” listings, and a subgroup where nannies and sitters can post bios and hourly rates. Think Craigslist—just for parents.

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