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Web Site Offers Help for Moms and Dads
The Santa Barbara IndependentShannon Kelley Gould08/01/2004
If anyone knows how demanding raising children can be, it's 34-year-old Rachael Ross Steidl, mother of five-year-old twins Ashley and Whitney, and two-year-old Emily. In fact, Steidl's other baby, the Web site SBParent.com, was born out of the frustration she experienced when she began researching preschools for her twins.
Steidl found that gathering information on daycare, parent groups, or babysitters was more time consuming than it should be, and for busy parents, it can be overwhelming, if not impossible. Steidl also noted that many excellent resources - especially non-profits and free programs without marketing budgets - depend exclusively on word of mouth, so parents often miss out. Steidl thought there had to be a better way for parents to get the help they need. Steidl did the research; and her brainchild, launched a year and a half ago, offers parents a link to the goods. Pages devoted to child care, preschool, and nannies include information on everything from different preschool philosophies (could you tell a Waldorf from a Montessori?), to when to start looking for one (heads up: she recommends beginning your search up to a year ahead of when you think you "might be ready"), to how to interview a potential nanny and do a background check. The classified section lists babysitters, daycare openings, and childcare exchanges.
Tracy Farhad, 43, found daycare for her eight-month-old son Max on the site. Positive comments about the caregiver posted to the message board by other parents gave her the confidence a new mom needs. "You can't really get a feel for anything from the phone book; [SBparent.com] is just a wonderful concept," she said. The site also mirrors Steidl's social conscience, offering suggestions on where to donate old toys and clothes, and lists of organizations in need of volunteers. Steidl's own children know that whenever they get a new toy, they must choose an old one to give away.
More than 8,000 Santa Barbara families use SBParent.com, and over 1,500 subscribe to its twice-monthly newsletter. Licensing agreements with other cities are currently in the works.
