
James Baigrie
The Best Parenting Websites
It’s a dot-mom world―and you’re speeding down the information superhighway. Slow down and pull over at these not-to-be-missed sites.
Best for Networking
totspot.com
What it is: Part online baby book, part social site. Parents create secure MySpace-like profiles for their kids and share pictures and milestones with loved ones.
Why it's worth your time: You can save the hours calling Aunt Fran about baby’s first word and e-mailing Uncle Joe about tot’s first soccer goal. They can see it all here.
Don't miss: The growth-chart application, which allows you to monitor your child’s development without marking up the walls.
raisingthem.com
What it is: A six-degrees-of-separation site where you get together with parents you know and the people they know.
Why it's worth your time: Because having a playdate with a parent you don’t know can be just as awkward as a blind date.
Don't miss: The online support groups for people in the same boat (parents of multiples, parents of special-needs kids, parents of more than four children, etc.).
motherhoodlater.com
What it is: A cyber powwow for the over-35 set, with encouraging info about fertility and surrogacy, plus lots of local chapter information for playdate planning.
Why it's worth your time: You risk embarrassment by admitting your teenage crush on Donny Osmond to a bunch of 20-somethings. These women can relate.
Don't miss: The hilarious blogs. Waxing poetic on everything from menopause to dealing with the cringe-inducing “Are you his mom or his grandma?” inquiry.
Related Content

27 Low-Cost, High-Imagination Games
Get the kids to put up with long waits, share details about their days, do their chores, and―oh yes―have fun.
Advertisement
Quick Tip
When renting equipment for kids, first check to see if the product has been recalled at recalls.gov.
