Couples start networking online for parenting tips [Chennai TATA NEN]

[dhilipkumar]

Couples start networking online for parenting tips  [Chennai TATA NEN (National Entrepreneurship Network).]

Chennai: With all the social networking sites doing the rounds these days, you wouldn't think that starting a parent networking site would get you listed as one of the hottest startups in the country by TATA NEN (National Entrepreneurship Network). But that's exactly what happened to Chennaibased ex-Silicon Valley techies Sathya Narayanaswamy and his wife Shobha and a few other parents who decided to launch www.parentree.in in August, aiming it to be "a community of involved parents".

    "When we returned to Chennai with our children, we were lost. We had questions on everything from what's a good playschool to day-trips for children and found that the best and most practical answers we got were from other parents in our son's class," says Sathya. "That's when it struck us — why not share this information with all the parents out there who were also looking for answers?"

    For most people, it's always nice to know there's another parent out there in your city feeling the same way. Or better still, a parent armed with just the answer you are looking for. That's where networking with other parents helps. And that's the niche need area techies with kids are trying to cater to.

    Parentree deals with the practical aspects of parenting, focusing on how and where to get things done in the city you live in. The articles are written by parents who have been there, done that. "In fact, one of the founding members is Gita Ranjith, who is the moderator of a yahoogroup called Bangalore Parents Group," adds Sathya.

    Another entrant is Yokibu.com, started last December by Chandrasekar Balasubramaniam and Saranathan K, both former employees at McAfee.com. They returned to Chennai with their families after a 10-year stint in the US and felt the need to connect with other parents and schools to ensure they were updated on their children's activities.

    Yokibu, though, is more than a parent networking site; their objective is to bring schools, parents and children together. Yokibu is strict about who gets to join, it's by invitation only and although it's free for both schools and parents, you can join only if you have a child. And only after your information has been verified and authenticated.

    "Where do you get outfits for fancy dress days in school? Is there anyone in the city who offers French tuition? These are questions that every parent has, especially those who are new to the city," says Chandrasekar. "This website will connect parents with each other and give them answers." The site gives parents a constantly updated list of activities, camps and workshops in the city that are relevant to their child's age group. If the child's school is part of the network, then everything from the circulars to the activities of the school will be sent to the parent. "The idea is simple," says Chandrasekar. "Every parent connects with the 30-other parents in his child's class." They currently have over 800 members.

    Has it been useful? Smitha V, the principal of Sprouts Montessori School in Alwarpet and a Yokibu member, thinks so — thanks to the network she managed to inform all the parents of her school about the sudden holiday declared by the state government on September 15 this year. She found out about it on Sunday night, got on Yokibu and informed all the parents of her school. Similarly, Arul Maniyan, a parent at Aarambh, a playschool in T Nagar, posted a message on Yokibu asking his child's classmates' parents what he missed at the PTA meeting. Parents from his child's class wrote him detailed messages.
   
Another Chennai-based site, www.yocee.in, attempts to network parents through their children. Says Revathy R, a freelance financial consultant and parent who started the site two years ago: "I found that children liked to talk about events in their schools and the city. Most of the content on my site is written by schoolchildren." Revathy also has a "student reporters" programme where students get to write for the site.

    "But I make sure that parents are present at the meetings so they get to meet each other," she says. The site lists everything from student achievers to teacher profiles to city events. And if you think parent networking couldn't get better — Yokibu plans to add immediate absence notification services and online PTA meetings to their site.