6 Family/Parenting
Web 2.0 offers a variety of information for the bewildered parent, looking for advice in dealing with every stage of a child’s development. This section focuses more on sites offering assistance to parents rather than material suitable for children. We list a few sites popular with children and teens as an aid for parents seeking material that is appropriate for young users.
ADOPTION
WEBSITES 
Adoptive Families Magazine
The online component of Adoptive Families Magazine, this site provides access to articles sorted by topic and includes guides and directories.
Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption
Dave Thomas, founder of Wendy’s, established this non-profit organization dedicated to increasing the number of adoptions for children in the foster care system.
Open Adoption
This site is a comprehensive resource for families considering open adoption. The site hosts links, a directory of adoption professionals, and websites for prospective parents seeking birth mothers contemplating open adoption as an option for their children.
BLOGS 
Adoption Blogs
Adoption Blogs is a group blog about adoptive parenting. Contributors post opinions, advice, and news items focusing on issues affecting adoptive parents and foster care families.
Adoption Photo Blog
Alison created this photo blog to share pictures documenting her daughter’s adoption story. Alison posts expressive entries around each photo.
Celebrating Adoption Photo Blog
In 2006, professional photographer Jennifer Samaha started taking formal photographic portraits of families celebrating successful adoptions. She now works with a network of photographers who donate their time for photo sessions capturing a family’s first moments with its newest members.
No Place Like Home
http://weaverrantings.blogspot.com/
A foster mother recounts the ups and downs of fostering a teen.
PODCASTS 
Foster Parenting Podcast
Tim and Wendy are foster parents who share their wisdom in weekly podcasts aimed at demystifying the foster care system.
Related Sites
www.mediafly.com/Podcasts/Feeds/Foster_Parenting_Podcast
WIKIS 
Adoption Information
www.adoptioninformation.com/Main_Page
This wiki provides articles on adoption, pregnancy, records and forms, and foster care and welfare systems.
SOCIAL NETWORKING 
Foster Parenting Meet Up Groups
http://fosterparent.meetup.com
Foster families can socialize and communicate with one another through a MeetUp.org in their area. The site provides a bulletin board for sharing info and excellent event organization functions.
Twitter: This Woman’s Work
Writer Dawn Friedman keeps her fans at thiswomanswork.com abreast of her movements via Twitter, recounting moods and stories about raising two children and participating in an open adoption with her daughter’s birth mother.
FORUMS/DISCUSSIONS 
Adoption Support Forum
http://forums.foreverparents.com/
This private forum gives adoptive parents a sense of community and support. Users must contact the forum owner for admission. Threads are not visible to nonregistered users.
VIRTUAL WORLDS 
A New Beginning Adoption Agency
http://slurl.com/secondlife/McDonnagh%20Land%207/103/32/23
In Second Life, residents have the ability to procreate or adopt Second Life Children (people who select child avatars). Approach these destinations with caution because not all residents adopt for altruistic reasons and may seek age-inappropriate role-play activities.
Family Ties Adoption & Daycare Center
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Porcupine/154/19/130
Little Angels Adoption
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Black%20Drake/210/72/42
ABC Adoption Agency
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Cambrian/74/83/26
Little Refuge Orphanage
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Sutekh/233/79/52
BABIES/TODDLERS
WEBSITES
Baby Center 
Many readers consider BabyCenter.com a Web pioneer, one of the best websites. The site consistently receives Best Blog nominations and its “Your Pregnancy, Week By Week” email newsletters are treasured by web-savvy expectant mothers. In addition to newsletters, the site offers articles, features, and an active discussion board.
Diaper Free Baby
A network of support groups for parents who practice natural infant hygiene through elimination communication. Site visitors can obtain information, product reviews, and directories for local groups in their areas.
Zero to Three Website
www.zerotothree.org/site/PageServer
Zero to Three is a nonprofit organization that supports healthy child development for infants and toddlers. The site provides parents with science-based articles and tools to help them nurture their little ones.
BLOGS
Celebrity Baby Blog
A blog devoted to news about celebrities and their children, the site is irresistible and offers product reviews and information on baby clothing and accessories spotted on celebrity offspring.
The Poop—SF Chronicle Baby Blog
www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/parenting/index
This is a group blog written for the San Francisco Chronicle, featuring a mixture of wry posts about raising children in the San Francisco Bay Area.
VIDEOS 
Bundlo
Bundlo.com provides a free publishing platform for creating attractive and private websites for your children. A “Blogger for Babies” site, this platform lets parents organize and upload photos and video of their offspring to share with others in a safe and private setting.
PODCASTS
Pediacast—A Pediatric Podcast for Parents
http://pediascribe.com/podcast/
A pediatrician named Dr. Mike offers advice to new parents during his weekly podcasts. Listeners can email the doctor their questions and he may provide answers during the show.
WIKIS
Baby Sign Language Dictionary
http://babysign.wikia.com/wiki/Main_Page
Here is a handy guide for parents to use while teaching their babies sign language before they can articulate their needs beyond crying.
SOCIAL NETWORKING
BabySpot.com
BabySpot.com helps parents share photos and videos with friends and relatives for free. In addition to providing easy-to-use uploading software, the site allows members to blog about their children and share advice with other BabySpot.com members.
The Cradle
The Cradle is a new social network for new parents, offering them articles and advice on getting through the first months with their baby. Parents can also establish their own websites showcasing photo galleries, blogs, and gift registry links. The site’s sensibility is focused on eco-living.
Facebook: MyBabyBook
www.facebook.com/applications/My_Babybook/4098093510
My BabyBook is a Facebook application that helps parents launch a page for their babies on Facebook. Parents can share photos and videos with only a select group of friends on their Facebook accounts.
TotSpot
Still in the beta phase of development, TotSpot is a social network for babies. Yep, babies. Parents can create profiles for their offspring and update them with video and photos. The concept is closer to an electronic scrapbook than Facebook for babies, so don’t fret.
Twitter: Adventures in Babywearing
http://twitter.com/AdInBabywearing
Adventures in Babywearing Twitter posts are funny bursts of observations about bad TV and alarming body changes during pregnancy.
FORUMS/DISCUSSIONS
MotheringDotCommune
www.mothering.com/discussions/
This discussion forum from mothering.com offers families with natural living lifestyles a place to share tips about alternative child-rearing practices and products.
VIRTUAL WORLDS
Honeydew Babies Maternity and Pediatric Clinic
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Fio%20Fum/99/62/21/
This vendor provides infants and newborn prims (software script animating one’s avatar or object in Second Life) with realistic African American features.
JumpStart World
http://shop.knowledgeadventure.com/Departments/New-JumpStart-World.aspx
Preschoolers and their parents can purchase monthly subscriptions to a 3D virtual world that accompanies all JumpStart educational software. The site encourages children’s learning skills through interactive games. The online world also enables parents to upload photos, personalize avatars for their kids, and send them text messages inside their virtual domain.
Vindi’s Baby Heaven on Second Life
http://slurl.com/secondlife/cryphia/244/201//
Second Life residents have the option of experiencing pregnancy and parenting inside their simulated world. Expectant parents can create or purchase avatar modifications that simulate pregnancy. Skilled residents can also create their own infants (called “prim babies”) or purchase them from SL vendors where prospective parents can order off-the-shelf babies or customized infants.
BOYS
WEBSITES
Boys Life Magazine
This companion website to the Boy’s Life magazine provides handy information, games, and jokes to entertain the boys in your life.
BLOGS
Full of Boys
http://fullofboys.wordpress.com/
Authored by a Christian stay-at-home mother of three boys, this blog is easy to follow and regularly updated.
PODCASTS
Smelly Monkeys
http://smellymonkeys.blogspot.com/
Twin boys broadcast their Internet radio show under the supervision of their father. Mayhem ensues. Although episodes are not updated regularly, the content should engage small boys and encourage them to podcast on their own.
WIKIS
Raising Boys
An educational consultant created this wiki for parents of young boys, advising them on developmental differences between boys and girls.
WikiScouts
http://wikiscouts.wetpaint.com/
This is a wiki created for Boy Scouts and their parents. The site gives information on Scout philosophy and programs.
SOCIAL NETWORKING
Flickr: Just Sons
www.flickr.com/groups/oursons/
This is an invite-only photo group of family friendly photographs of boys in a family setting.
Flickr: Mommy’s Boy
www.flickr.com/groups/mommysboy/
A place for photos of mothers and sons, this site is open only to those who apply to join the family friendly group.
My Lego Network
http://mln.lego.com/en-us/Network/default.aspx
My Lego Network is a multiplayer online game that boys and their fathers can bond over while building Lego structures and figures.
FORUMS/DISCUSSIONS
Boys Behavior Community Forum
http://thehomeschoolorganizer.com/blog/
This site offers parents a chance to share information and tips on addressing the behavior of their sons. Written from a home-schooling orientation, most of the discussion happens in the comments section.
Moms of Boys Forum
www.momsofboys.org/msgbrd/viewforum.php?f=1
This is an active forum populated by mothers with sons. There are many folders on a variety of topics, including boys and bathrooms, overscheduling activities, and developmental disabilities.
VIRTUAL WORLDS
Club Penguin
One of the most popular virtual worlds for children, this virtual world lets users interact with one another as penguins, exploring a snow-covered terrain while playing games or decorating their personal spaces, called igloos. The Disney-owned site is designed for 6 to 14-year-olds. Players can roam the site for free but must purchase memberships to establish igloos or acquire accessories.
MTV Virtual Skate Park on VMTV
www.vmtv.com/virtualskatepark.html
Tweenage boys will enjoy the virtual skate park found inside MTV’s virtual world. Users can interact with one another in the guise of avatars selected from a menu of styles and participate in areas modeled after MTV shows.
Webkinz World
Webkinz World is the online supplement to the popular plush toy pets called Webkinz. Using a secret code that comes with each toy, users can enter the world in the guise of their new pet and interact with others by playing games, competing in contests, and visiting virtual neighbors.
CAREGIVERS/NANNIES/BABYSITTERS
WEBSITES
Association of Professional Nannies
This site provides nannies with support and information, including a private membership area and local group events.
Babysitters.com
Babysitters.com matches parents to reliable babysitters located in their town or metropolitan area.
HowsMyNanny.com
www.howsmynanny.com/default.aspx
Conceived by a New York City child abuse prosecutor who is also a mother, HowsMyNanny.com is a service for parents with nannies. Through this site, parents purchase a license plate for their stroller that enables the public to anonymously report good or bad nanny observations. Registered parents instantaneously receive an email alerting them to the confidential report.
BLOGS
The Nanny Doctor
http://thenannydoctor.blogspot.com/
Operated by Lindsay Heller, a licensed clinical psychologist and former nanny of 10 years, this blog offers nannies and their employers support in balancing the emotions inherent in raising a child with the help of a third party professional.
PODCASTS
SOS Children’s Villages Podcast
http://podcast.sos-childrensvillages.org/SosChildrensVillagesPodcast
A monthly podcast produced by SOS Children’s Villages, an international charity that promotes improved child welfare.
VickyandJen.com—What Really Matters
Vicky and Jen are ordinary moms who share tips and insights on organizing one’s family with simplicity and calm.
SOCIAL NETWORKING
Child Care Village.net
Child Care Village.net is a support network for child care providers, preschool teachers, and parents to meet and exchange information.
Nannies and Au Pairs Meet Up Groups
Nannies can use the MeetUp.org site to find other nannies in their area and network through online discussion groups or events.
FORUMS/DISCUSSIONS
Daycare Provider Forum
A forum for daycare providers to network and discuss pertinent issues affecting their business.
CHILD ABUSE AND MISSING CHILDREN
WEBSITES
ChildHelp
Childhelp.org is a national non-profit organization focused on treating abused and neglected children. The group operates a 24 hour national hotline offering treatment, prevention and intervention options as well as local treatment centers and educational programs.
Prevent Child Abuse America
Prevent Childe Abuse America is a national organization comprised of local chapters devoted to building awareness about child abuse prevention and helping abused or neglected children at the local level.
BLOGS
The Thriver’s Toolbox
http://thriverstoolbox.blogspot.com/
A child abuse survivor maintains this blog, sharing advice on maintaining a positive perspective.
PODCASTS
Committed to Freedom
http://committedtofreedom.org/podcast.html
Committed to Freedom is a website and community designed to provide spiritual tools for abuse survivors. The organization’s president hosts a weekly podcast, discussing coping mechanisms for people who use faith to move beyond abuse.
VIDEOS
Videos Documenting Child Abuse
http://technorati.com/videos/tag/Childabuse
This is a collection of all the anti-child abuse videos on the Internet collected on Technorati.com, a site that tracks blogs and websites.
WIKIS
Child Abuse
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Child_abuse
Wikipedia offers a comprehensive page on child abuse, its symptoms, and treatment options for victims and survivors.
Child Abuse Wiki at AboutUs.org
www.aboutus.org/Category:Child_Abuse
AboutUs.org lists several resources and definitions in its pages.
SOCIAL NETWORKING
Facebook: Stop Child Abuse Now
http://apps.facebook.com/stopchildabuse
Stop Child Abuse Now is a Facebook application that allows users to add the widget to their Facebook pages. Social Change, a developer, created the tool to raise money from advertising revenue and donate it to several charities, including child abuse related organizations.
FORUMS/DISCUSSIONS
Adult Survivors of Child Abuse Forums
www.ascasupport.org/forumEmeetings.php
The Adult Survivors of Child Abuse site offers a comprehensive discussion board for survivors and their advocates.
The Wounded Healer Journal
www.twhj.org/cgi/discus/discus.cgi
The Wounded Healer Journal offers a busy discussion board community for survivors to share their grief and access tools for recovery.
CHILD CUSTODY
WEBSITES
Administration for Children and Families
www.acf.dhhs.gov/programs/cse/
This is the official website of the Office of Child Support Enforcement operated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Child Support Laws State-By-State
www.child-support-laws-state-by-state.com/index.html
The Child Support Laws website offers a state-by-state listing of applicable divorce and custody laws.
Getting Child Custody
www.gettingchildcustody.com/index.html
This is a site operated by two Canadian child-custody lawyers who offer how-to steps in reaching a child custody agreement. The site has a useful resources page as well.
BLOGS
Child Custody Blog
www.childcustodycoach.com/blog/
This blog posts news articles on custody matters.
PODCASTS
Get Off the Bench
This is an interactive Internet radio program hosted by Larry Holland, who maintains the Family Court Report Blog. Mr. Holland is a pro-father’s-rights advocate.
WIKIS
Wiki Answers Custody Questions
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/FAQ/447
This wiki presents information in a Q&A style that frames the questions in a useful way for those seeking custody or support information.
FORUMS/DISCUSSIONS
Child Custody Discussion Forum
www.winchildcustody.com/winchildcustodydiscussion/index.php
Although the main website advertises an instructional DVD package, the forums are well maintained and feature folders for the discussion of children by their age.
DIVORCE
WEBSITES
Children and Divorce
This is an Internet resource site for divorced parents eager to minimize its effects on their children.
The Modern Woman’s Divorce Guide
http://themodernwomansdivorceguide.com/
An official honoree at the 2008 Webby Awards, this well-designed site provides information and advice for women contemplating divorce. The Toolbox section of the site includes comprehensive divorce checklists.
BLOGS
Darn Divorce
The D Word Diva blog shares her thoughts about divorce, in general, and her darn divorce, in particular, with sympathy and wry humor.
Divorce Lawyer Blog
www.straightdivorce.com/divorceblog/
This blog, hosted by a law firm, posts divorce-related news and trends in divorce laws.
VIDEOS
Earthquake in Zipland
Designed for children, this interactive game explains the concept of divorce to small children and helps them digest the emotional turbulence of such change.
PODCASTS
The Stepfamily Talk Radio Network
Authors Lisa Cohn and Jann Blackstone-Ford host this weekly talk show for divorced and separated parents and stepfamilies. The duo interview divorce and stepfamily experts to gain insight on helping families mend and blend after a divorce.
WIKIS
Wikivorce.com
Wikivorce.com is a British divorce site that provides content, community, and support for Britons undergoing divorce.
SOCIAL NETWORKING
Divorce 360
Divorce360 is a community network site for people coping with divorce, separation, and custody issues. The site offers expert advice as well as group chat functions. The site is well organized and offers features on every phase of ending a marriage.
Divorce Dating
This website was created to introduce adults who have either been divorced, are going through a divorce, or wouldn’t mind dating someone who is divorced.
Twitter:Calvero’s Depot
Follow the micro musings of Kim, the Web mistress of several popular sites, as she deals with a divorce and caring for her children.
FORUMS/DISCUSSIONS
Divorce Care for Kids
This site is a clearing house for local faith-based support groups aiding divorced parents and their children. The organization provides Christian-related tools for ministers and pastors helping people overcome the negative emotions of separation and divorce.
E-DivorceTalk Discussion Forum
www.e-divorcetalk.com/divorce-forums/default.asp
A part of the E-DivorceTalk website, this discussion forum’s strength lies in the variety of financial advice folders on the board.
FATHERS
WEBSITES
The Father Life
The Father Life site provides fathers with articles, discussion boards, and resource links.
Rebel Dad
Rebel Dad started the site as a resource hub for stay-at-home fathers. He coined the term “rebel dad” to replace the tired “stay at home dad” or “Mr. Mom” epithets and give a new name to fathers who care for their children on a full-time basis.
BLOGS
DIY Father
This is a New Zealand–based site devoted to guiding fathers through all aspects of parenting. The site is easy to navigate and features useful Q&As from members.
Geek Dad
http://blog.wired.com/geekdad/
Geek Dad is a group blog by the editors of Wired magazine. The posts are wide ranging and offer a variety of perspectives on parenting, but still fall into a “boys and their toys” category. There are more entries on Sea Monkeys, Legos, and camping gear than bibs, sippy cups, and diaper bags, for example.
Menno-Daddy
http://mennodaddy.blogspot.com/
Menno-Daddy is a photo blog by a father of two children living in Indiana. In addition to posting entries about raising his children, he keeps a weekly photo blog.
Mile High Dad
Mile High Dad blogs about being a stay-at-home dad and raising a five-year-old son in Colorado. His style is languid and approachable; you could say he is the geek dad version of Dave Barry.
VIDEOS
Joeprah’s Videos
http://joeprah.com/content/blogcategory/24/82/
Joeprah makes humorous videos and shares them with readers.
PODCASTS
Dad Talk Zone
www.blogtalkradio.com/dadtalkzone
Jim Burns shares his methods for successful parenting and encourages listeners to debate the merits of permissive parenting. Jim shares tips on ways to encourage children to respect authority and develop values and character.
Positive Parenting Radio
Parenting author Armin Brott uploads audio on a weekly basis.
SOCIAL NETWORKING
Flickr: Dads and Daughters
www.flickr.com/groups/dadsanddaughters/
This Flickr group posts shots of father and daughter portraits and candid shots.
Joeprah Community Network
http://joeprah.com/content/view/38/81/
The popular podcast blog of a stay-at-home father has established a community area for his listeners. The community function includes customizable profiles, discussion boards, instant messaging, and interactive blogrolls.
Twitter: Joegerstandt
http://twitter.com/joegerstandt
With more than 500 followers on Twitter, this stay-at-home dad must be doing something right.
Twitter: Sondernagle
http://twitter.com/sondernagle
This geeky dad posts sweet observations about raising his son and urban agriculture. Has a way with Tweets. Here’s an example: “The boy has eaten avocado. This just in: green spit-up. Gross.”
FORUMS/DISCUSSIONS
Brand New Dad Forums
New fathers can seek advice and reassurance on the Brand New Dad forum.
DadStaysHome.com Forum
Dadstayshome.com is a discussion forum for fathers who raise their children on a full time basis.
GIRLS
WEBSITES
Dads and Daughters
Dads and Daughters provides fathers with advice and support on how to maintain healthy bonds with their daughters. The site features a daily blog, tips, quizzes, as well as resources for adult daughters eager to strengthen relationships with their own fathers.
A Girl’s World
Established in 1996, this site gives girls a voice by encouraging contributions in the form of diaries and articles written by members. Girls can share advice, take an online babysitting class, or find a pen pal through the Circle of Friends Pen Pal Club.
BLOGS
Black Belt Mama
This is a blog authored by a mother raising two daughters who takes up martial arts.
Mom of Three Girls
A working mother of three girls frequently updates this blog, sharing tales about her children or new household cleaning tips.
VIDEOS
Mom’s Brag Vlog
This is a consistent video blog from a mom who believes that even small moments in the life of her family are worth documenting.
PODCASTS
Family Matters with Caroline and Jacquie
www.familymattersradio.com/girls.html
This Internet radio broadcast has a channel dedicated to the topic of raising girls.
Walt’s Girls
This is a podcast site created by two friends devoted to Disney World and everything Disney. This site is also part of the Disney Podcast Network.
SOCIAL NETWORKING
Flickr: Daddy’s Girl
www.flickr.com/groups/daddysgirl/
Parents can post shots of father and daughter combos on this Flickr group.
Flickr:Mommy’s Girl
www.flickr.com/groups/mommysgirl/
Parents can post photos of mothers and daughter portraits on this Flickr group.
GirlSense
GirlSense is a social network for teen fashion. Members can create and post outfits for their virtual character, interact with other members through chat and group forums, and decorate their own living spaces, called boutiques.
FORUMS/DISCUSSIONS
Womens-Place:Raising Girls
This is a vibrant discussion forum for mothers with daughters. Users share advice and tips on raising daughters. Click the Moms & Parenting link and then click the link for Raising Girls to access this area of the forum.
VIRTUAL WORLDS
BarbieGirls.com
Barbie now has a virtual world where her fans can join her in this virtual world packed with games, avatar fashion, and zones that allow users to mingle and explore.
Related Site
www.barbiegirls.com/parent_home.jsp
Pixie Hollow
http://disney.go.com/fairies/pixiehollow/comingSoon.html
Disney created this virtual world to highlight the Tinkerbell movie and line of products. Visitors can create their own fairy avatar and inhabit a fairy forest filled with games and messaging options. Who needs Disneyland now?
Stardoll.com
Stardoll.com is a virtual world for paper doll fans. Visitors, both young and adult, create electronic paper dolls to dress and show off to new friends in the social network.
Webkinz World
Webkinz World is the online supplement to the popular plush toy pets called Webkinz. Using a secret code that comes with each toy, users can enter the world in the guise of their new pet and interact with others by playing games, competing in contests, and visiting virtual neighbors.
MOTHERS
WEBSITES
Cool Mom Picks
Cool Mom Picks is a site devoted to product reviews for busy parents. Run by a collective of volunteers, the site tracks new or nonmainstream products and services created by emerging designers or mom-run companies. Cool Mom Picks provides readers with info on intriguing child-related items such as products, websites, or causes.
MotherhoodLater.com
Motherhoodlater.com is a support group for mothers who started families at the age of 35 and older. The group offers online and offline support. Mothers can network at local chapter meetings in the New York area; Anchorage; Fairfield County, CT.; Los Angeles; and Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Mothers can also interact online at the website, coordinate “Mothers Night Out” events and play dates, or commiserate on the blog.
BLOGS
Because I Said So
Authored by Dawn, a stay-at-home mother of six children, this blog offers a hilarious perspective on raising a large family in the twenty-first century.
The Mom Salon
The Mom Salon is a directory of smart-mom blogs, organized by topic and state. The main site provides articles, product reviews, and tips on improving one’s blog. There is also a daily blog that features the best posts found on current mom blogs. The site has also added a Mom Blogging Wiki and a social networking component so that mom bloggers can befriend one another.
Moms Group Manual
This blog is a resource for parents looking to connect with other parents for play dates or friendship. Created by Jessica Smith, the blog not only offers local mom-group resources but also provides sensible advice on how to make friends with other time-starved caregivers. Jessica also provides the latest information on websites devoted to fostering community among parents.
The More, The Messier
www.suburbancorrespondent.blogspot.com
Suburban Correspondent tells it like it is in funny and relatable posts about raising a family of six. There’s even a Parenting for Dummies list of posts with titles like “Sibling Fight Management 101” and “How Not to Let Sleeping Teens Lie.”
Secret Agent Mama
Mishelle Lane is a photographer and blogger who regularly posts photos along with her entries. She captures everyday events and lovely landscapes in your Midwestern town.
VIDEOS
Mombian
www.mombian.com/category/video-blog/
Mombian is a website for lesbian mothers. The site has a video blog section featuring an amusing vlog series called “She Got Me Pregnant.” Shot in weekly episodes, Dana and her partner, Helen, star in the series, which explores what it’s like to be a lesbian mom. The site features product reviews, contests, kid-friendly project demos, interviews, and zany antics like re-creating the Dinah Shore PGA golf tournament in their living room.
Mommy TV
Mommy TV is video magazine providing information on products for mothers and their children. Manufacturers can upload promo videos for viewers on channels organized by categories such as bathing, bedding, birthing, car seats, and so on.
PODCASTS
Motherhood Uncensored
www.blogtalkradio.com/motherhooduncensored
Kristen Chase interviews authors, teachers, and popular bloggers on a weekly podcast that offers frank and unsentimental discussions about parenting, pregnancy, and culture.
Mothers Friend
Suzy Martyn is a parenting consultant and author of the book Enjoying the Ride. She offers a monthly podcast sharing tips on making parents’ and kids’ lives easier.
The Radio Mom Show
Billed as “Talk Radio for Socially Conscious Moms,” Kemi Ingram hosts a weekly radio show for parents interested in social activism. Kemi’s guests include activists, educators, policy makers, and community leaders who come prepared to discuss topics such as child development, holistic living, culture, and parenting, as well as social welfare issues.
WIKIS
Mother’s Resource for Milk Soy Protein Intolerance
http://milkintolerance.wetpaint.com/
This is a wiki providing moms with up-to-date information and examples of living with children allergic to milk or soy protein.
SOCIAL NETWORKING
Maya’s Mom
Maya’s Mom is a social network for parents, giving them a place to communicate with other parents and reconnect with their own needs via journals, photo galleries, and bulletin boards. The site features a weekly journal topic prompt for members, encouraging them to express themselves. Members can review other members’ journals or comment on a posting. An avatar feature lets members craft their own profile images.
Microblog—Geek Mommy
Geek Mommy is a social networking advocate and mother who updates her friends and family on Pownce and Twitter.
Microblog—SgetGood
This mom blogger microblogs her thoughts and opinions on Jaiku.com.
Mothers Click
Mothers Click is a social networking version of local mothers’ groups in real life. The site offers organizing functions such as mass email group settings, FAQ posts, and other community building tools. Mothers Click replicates the local mothers’ groups in a social network setting. The site features menu planning and recipe tips, resource links, classifieds, and activity announcements.
Twitter:The Mac Mommy
http://twitter.com/themacmommy
Follow the adventures of Melissa Davis, a computer consultant and mother to a toddler.
FORUMS/DISCUSSIONS
Mamasource.com
www.mamasource.com/join/welcome
Mamasource is a private website for mothers to share mothering tips, product reviews, and opinions. Mamasource is unique in that it establishes an instant community via email blasts and bulletin boards. Members can post questions and receive immediate answers without having to trawl archives. All members are available to respond to each new question or query.
MomLogic.com
Launched by Warner Bros. Television Group in 2007, Momlogic.com is a slick community site for women who also happen to be parents. The site offers editorial features such as video, articles, and interviews, but the site’s main thrust is its community boards. Its content is the most similar in style to mainstream women’s magazines like In Style, People, and Elle, with celebrity-related fashion news and personal essays.
MomShare
MomShare is more of a community news filter than a discussion board, but the site does provide a place to discuss mother-related news and stories with other mothers. Members can post links to news found on other sites or in newspapers or contribute user-generated articles and essays.
VIRTUAL WORLDS
Athena Isle in Second Life
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Second%20Shores/51/50/23
Created by Cybergrrl, a mom in real life, this Second Life island is devoted to women, writing, and moms who like to hang out in Second Life. The environment hosts regular events, readings, groups, and shopping spaces.
PARENTS
WEBSITES
Shaping Youth
www.shapingyouth.org/blog/index.php
This site’s goal is to offer parents resources for combating the overinfluence of marketing and media over today’s youth and children. Visitors can access articles, audio and video clips, and other tools for teaching media literacy to their children.
IParenting
Disney owns this site for parents, offering content and community. Members can establish their own blogs, post birth or parenting stories, or participate in the myriad of bulletin boards on the site.
BLOGS
GeekParenting.com
Are you a parent who loves pop culture and can admit to childlike enthusiasm? Geekparenting.com is the blog for you. Amy Cottrell posts witty entries covering her life as a mom, her favorite comic books, and other geeky treasures.
PODCASTS
Wholistic Mommas, Daddy’s & Kidz
This is an interactive radio show focusing on natural and environmentally aware parenting philosophies.
WIKIS
Babblepedia
Babblepedia bills itself as the encyclopedia of parenting knowledge. An offshoot of Babble—the magazine, babblepedia offers parents peer-generated information about all aspects of child rearing. Entry categories are organized alphabetically and are extremely literate.
WikiParenting.com
This wiki is affiliated with the Nick Parents Connect network of websites owned and operated by Nickelodeon and MTV Networks Kids and Family Group, itself a division of Viacom International. The wiki encourages user-generated articles and topic additions. Readers can browse content organized by each phase of parenting, by category, or alphabetically.
SOCIAL NETWORKING
GotKidsNetwork.com
Here is a new network that connects parents all over the United States, giving them a personal profile/blog, discussion boards, and shopping areas.
Microblog—Lil’Grams
Still in the beta phase, Lil’Grams is like a Twitter for parents. It is an instant messaging network that enables busy parents to post milestones in their child’s life and immediately broadcast it to friends and family.
FORUMS/DISCUSSIONS
ParenthoodPlace.com
ParenthoodPlace.com is a discussion board operated by parents for parents. The site offers live chat and bulletin board communication options for parents to discuss child development, share tips, and blow off steam by engaging in topics that are not parenting specific, such as games, hobbies, and entertainment.
VIRTUAL WORLDS
Handipoints
Handipoints is a virtual world for children that encourages them to perform chores in the real world to earn points in this virtual world. Parents can use the site to track a child’s progress in completing chores and reward them with points for finished tasks.
P3 After Dark Nightclub
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Kitten%20House/243/32/29
On Second Life, teens are separated from adults in their own territory called Teen Second Life. This is a kid’s club where they can socialize.
PREGNANCY AND CHILDBIRTH
WEBSITES
League of Maternal Justice
www.leagueofmaternaljustice.com
The tone of this site may be tongue in cheek, but this group of blogging moms are serious about their mission as online activists for causes specific to parents, such as breastfeeding in public or privacy. The site fought bans against breastfeeding images and videos on YouTube and Facebook.
ParentingiVillage
http://parenting.ivillage.com/
The Parenting sector on iVillage.com is a robust area offering loads of content and resources for expectant parents. Visitors will find health tools, quizzes, instructional video from childcare experts and features for user contributions. For example, the Who’s in Your Momtourage area asks visitors to post stories about the support team in their lives.
BLOGS
Doulicia
Written by a labor doula and mother based in Michigan, this blog offers the doula’s perspective on childbirth. The site includes opinion, news, and advocacy coupled with bits about the author’s hobbies and passions.
Flickr:Beautifully Pregnant
www.flickr.com/groups/beautifully_pregnant/
Beautifully Pregnant is a Flickr group devoted to capturing images of a woman’s pregnancy and childbirth. The group is private and you must become a member of the group to see the images. Nudity is permitted, so this site is not for children.
Pregnancy.org Expert Blog Series
www.authorsandexpertsblog.com/pregnancyorg/
This blog takes a more clinical tone as leading child-care and pediatric experts post their takes on current events affecting children and parents.
VIDEOS
The Pregnant Show
www.youtube.com/user/pregnantshow
This YouTube show provides commentary and segments on every aspect of pregnancy.
PODCASTS
PregTASTIC Online Radio
Pregtastic is a weekly podcast celebrating the good and bad aspects of pregnancy and childbirth with humor and enthusiasm. Anchored by two moms, the show features interviews and discussions about medical news, birth stories, rumors, and advice.
WIKIS
OMG I’m Pregnant
At last, here is a wiki for mothers-to-be to read and create articles relevant to their experiences with pregnancy and childbirth.
wikiPregnancy.com
This guide allows all its members to update information and share their own birth stories, videos, photos, or observations. It also includes a discussion forum board.
SOCIAL NETWORKING
Café Mom
Café Mom provides mothers with an online space to network, exchange information, and find tools to make their lives easier. Mothers can start and share journals and share photos. The site even has a photo Showdown section that lets them playfully compare photos of their children.
NewBaby.com
NewBaby.com is a social networking site where members can connect via video. The site has one of the largest online libraries of mom-made videos. In addition, members can also access advice from experts, product reviews, and features. Here is a network perfect for moms who are too busy (or sleep-deprived) to spend much time on the computer—she can express herself and interact with her peers by uploading and watching video through the site.
FORUMS/DISCUSSIONS
InterNational Council on Infertility Information Dissemination
www.inciid.org/index.php?page=forums
The InterNational Council on Infertility Information Dissemination (INCIID, pronounced “inside”) is a nonprofit clearinghouse on infertility treatment information and support. The site hosts professional and peer-moderated chat and discussion forums for people considering or undergoing infertility treatment or pregnancy loss. INCIID also offers information for individuals considering adoption or childfree lifestyles.
Pregnant Connection
The Pregnant Connection message board lets mothers exchange every detail about conception, pregnancy, and childbirth. In the General Forum section, the site helpfully offers folders divided by each trimester of the pregnancy.
VIRTUAL WORLDS
Mums & Tots
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Sawrey/121/79/35/
This Second Life group holds weekly meetings at Sawrey Community Centre for families. It offers a chance for residents with Second Life infant or child avatars to interact and form playgroups.
Wish Upon a Star Clinic
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Hot%20Topics/113/206/26/
The Wish Upon a Star Clinic sells infant avatars and special pregnancy attachments for your avatar.
SCHOOLS
WEBSITES
Home School Sports Network
A website focusing mainly on the religious branch of home schooling, the site is a unique portal for organizing team sports for home-schooled children. The site features lists of resources and articles on how to organize teams and leagues.
KidsReads.com
Kidsreads.com is a site for children and their parents to learn about the latest books via book reviews, features, and author interviews. In addition to reviews, the site posts contests, games, and other interactive entertainment designed to engage younger visitors. A member of a group of websites called The Book Report Network, Kidsreads.com also features book clubs and email newsletters.
Parent Teacher Association
The P.T.A. established this website for parents to remain connected with teachers and school administrations. The site offers childraising resources and education advocacy tools.
BLOGS
Danny Homeschooling Dad
http://dannyhsdad.blogspot.com/
This father home schools his child and shares his perspective on his responsibilities.
PODCASTS
The School Survival Guide
http://theschoolsurvivalguide.libsyn.com
This weekly podcast offers caregivers information and suggestions on navigating the educational systems and selecting the right school for offspring.
WIKIS
Alternative Learning Systems
www.squidoo.com/learningsystem
This is a guide for parents considering all of their child’s education options. The guide lists alternative education methods, explores what’s right and wrong about the public school system, and offers book recommendations for further study.
Know HomeSchooling Wiki
http://knowhomeschooling.com/index.php/Main_Page
Know HomeSchooling is a comprehensive wikipedia about home schooling by alternative education advocates and parents who home school their children. Visitors can contribute to a variety of topics on the subject, such as curriculum, educational methods, and state laws.
SOCIAL NETWORKING
Classroom 2.0
Classroom 2.0 is a social networking site for educators interested in using collaborative tech tools to improve student performance and skills.
Homeschool Launch
Homeschool Launch is a social network for home educators. Members can create pages and interact with their peers, developing relevant course materials and lesson plans.
Yahoo! Teachers
http://teachers.yahoo.com/home
Yahoo! has launched a social network for teachers. Although the site is still in Beta mode, Yahoo! aims to provide teachers with a work space for uploading lesson plans and clipping content as they surf the Web to add material to their curriculum at a later date.
FORUMS/DISCUSSIONS
Bella Online School Reform Discussion Group
http://forums.bellaonline.com/
Members of the Bella Online Voice of Women opine about ways to improve U.S. education and share the latest news on the topic. Click School Reform in the Education section to access this area of the forum.
VIRTUAL WORLDS
Elluminate
This site lets teachers interact with students in a virtual classroom. Students can interact with the instructor and peers using webcams, IM, and chat functions.
SINGLE PARENTS
WEBSITES
Salvatore’s Single Fathers Kitchen
This is a site where single fathers can exchange recipes and tips on feeding their families. The site posts simple recipes that involve children in preparing meals.
BLOGS
DaddyBlogger.com
Robert Pederson’s blog focuses on child custody laws. Pederson has launched the Equal Parenting Bike Trek, vowing to ride his bike from Michigan to Washington, D.C., in the summer of 2008 to bring attention to joint custody law reform.
Single Mom Seeking
http://singlemomseeking.com/blog/
Author Rachel Sarach blogs about her further adventures as a single mom navigating the urban dating scene with her sanity intact. Some material is quite racy and not suitable for children.
VIDEOS
The Divorced Dater
www.onnetworks.com/videos/on-dating/the-divorced-dater
OnDating shares a video interview with a single dad about the challenges of being a divorced dater.
PODCASTS
Divorcing Daze
Two single moms dish about divorces, dating, and life in New York.
Tales of a Single Parent
A single mother in Virginia broadcasts at this site, offering regular podcasts about her life and ambitions.
WIKIS
Single Parent—Wikipedia Entry
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Single_parent
This wiki lists several helpful links in addition to defining the concept.
SOCIAL NETWORKING
Single Parent Love
This is a social networking site for single parents who are interested in online dating services.
Single Parent Romance
This site presents single parents with online options and also facilitates group outings at the local level.
FORUMS/DISCUSSIONS
Single Family Voices
http://singlefamilyvoices.com/community.html
This site’s community forum provides support and discussion via bulletin board folders designed to address the needs of single parents.
VIRTUAL WORLDS
OmniDate
OmniDate is a virtual world designed for singles who want to interact safely with new acquaintances in a low-pressure environment.
SPECIAL NEEDS CHILDREN
WEBSITES
Special Child
www.specialchild.com/index.html
Special Child is a website for parents and caregivers of children with disabilities. The site includes a bulletin board as well as articles and resource lists. One nice touch is the Diagnosis Search page that gives parents an opportunity to solicit advice from other parents and health professionals about a child’s mysterious symptoms.
BLOGS
Dream Mom
Dream Mom posts about raising her severely disabled teenager in the midwest. A single mother, Dream Mom stays at home to care for her child and posts insightful entries about her joys and struggles.
My Hangout
A young teen with cerebral palsy records moments that are important to him and his friends on this blog.
My Mommy Needs a Life
http://mymommyneedsalife.com/wordpress/
Amy writes this popular blog about her life as a single mother raising two children, one of whom has a disability. She makes the most of life by writing in a positive manner about her struggles.
PODCASTS
Autism Podcast
http://autismpodcast.blogspot.com/
Michael Boll, Shannon Johnson, and Nicole Sparapani host this show connecting parents of children on the autism spectrum with information and advocacy strategies.
WIKIS
Parents Helping Parents Wiki
http://parentshelpingparents.wetpaint.com/
This is a wiki created by members of Parents Helping Parents, an organization that provides support and skills training for parents with children who are disabled, including intellectual, learning, or physical disabilities, and special health care needs.
SOCIAL NETWORKING
TagDeaf
TagDeaf is a social network for people who are deaf or hard of hearing, and for their friends. Anyone can join and establish a blog, socialize in group discussions, or upload video.
FORUMS/DISCUSSIONS
Bella Online Special Needs Forum
http://forums.bellaonline.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=postlist&Board=57
Parents with children who have special needs can find support and information on this bulletin board.
VIRTUAL WORLDS
Cape Able
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Cape%20Able/167/162/28/
This is a section of Second Life that showcases the presence of people with disabilities in the virtual world. There is a large deaf community on this sim.
Gimp Girl on Second Life
http://slurl.com/secondlife/3DE/139/61/22
Gimpgirl.com, an online community for women with disabilities, has established a presence in Second Life. The group owns an amphitheater where it hosts workshops, lectures, and in-world gatherings.
STAY-AT-HOME PARENTS
WEBSITES
The Light Keeper
The Light Keeper is a website for stay-at-home parents, listing articles on parenting, money management, and work from home ideas and tips.
BLOGS
Cry It Out
Mike Adamick is a stay-at-home dad and author who regularly contributes to NPR’s Day to Day show and The San Francisco Chronicle. He blogs about raising his family and juggling the demands of working from home.
Shannon Gurney Photoblog
http://sgphoto.typepad.com/my_weblog/
This stay at home mom is a photographer who regularly uploads photos documenting her photography business and family.
PODCASTS
The Bitterest Pill
Dan Klass broadcasts a monthly show from his home in Los Angeles where he’s a stay-at-home dad trying, as he says, “to make sense of being a man in a traditional woman’s role.”
WIKIS
Stay At Home Moms
This is a wiki community offering advice, links, and tips for stay-at-home moms. Most of the listings deal with work-from-home resources.
SOCIAL NETWORKING
Cool Web Moms
This is a new site offering social networking options to stay-at-home moms who work from home and still want to maintain a sense of self. Members can start their own journals to share their thoughts or dive into chat rooms or discussion boards. The site also lets moms create their own clubs for real-life interaction.
Twitter:AlexCaseyBaby
http://twitter.com/AlexCaseyBaby
Follow this stay-at-home mom’s every move on Twitter.
TEENS
WEBSITES
cyberteens.com
This web publication provides teens with news, chat functions, product reviews and informational links about social skills, college, employment and homework.
gURL.com
gURL.com is one of the leading online communities for teenage girls that has no affiliation with a corporate media company. The site offers young women discussion boards, quizzes, and chat functions.
Shoulder to Shoulder
www.shouldertoshoulderminnesota.org
Shoulder to Shoulder is a Web resource for parents who are raising teens. Parents can enjoy several community features, such as a community forum and group blog.
BLOGS
Weary Parent
Charlene Polanosky and Christine Young share their perspectives on parenting tweens and teens in this smart blog, a part of the B5media network. They cover everything from recent news items to personal stories raising their kids.
VIDEOS
TeenAids PeerCorps Vlog
You can view the vlogs prepared by Dr. John and his teen volunteers, documenting their work teaching teens about the dangers of AIDS and unprotected sex.
PODCASTS
A Troubled Teen and His Parents
This show is a chronicle of the struggles that a teen and his parent face as they deal with particularly troublesome years. The parent and teen are unique in that they are not biologically parent and child, but nephew and uncle.
WIKIS
Unschooling Teens
www.squidoo.com/unschoolingteen
Anni Enns, a former homeschooler in Kansas City, established this wiki guide for education via “unschooling,” learning without structure in a nonschool environment.
SOCIAL NETWORKING
Keep track of your teen on Facebook.com and monitor his or her activities—while having some fun of your own.
FORUMS/DISCUSSIONS
By Parents For Parents Forum
www.byparents-forparents.com/cgi-bin/teemz/teemz.cgi
This forum is the community component of By Parents For Parents, an online resource site for the parents of teens. The site has a special emphasis on offering information and advice for teens with behavioral problems.
VIRTUAL WORLDS
Habbo
Habbo is a virtual world for teens. Users create avatars that inhabit a virtual hotel and interact with one another from their own rooms or common areas or chat rooms.
Second Life Teen
Second Life also has a teen virtual world for players between the ages of 13 and 17 where residents can occupy only PG-rated areas.
There.com
There.com is another popular virtual world just for teens that mimics elements of Second Life, like fee-based accessories and habitats, but with PG filters established to prevent age-inappropriate behaviors and activities.
WORKING MOTHERS
WEBSITES
ParenTeam
A website for working mothers partnered with stay-at-home dads.
BLOGS
Counseling Mom
Counseling Mom gives her readers the best of both worlds: empathy as a working parent and valuable suggestions for coping with the struggles and strains of raising a family and working outside of the home.
This Mommy Gig
This Mommy Gig is a group blog for working parents, especially mothers. Contributors share opinions, advice, and stories about handling family and work obligations.
VIDEOS
Kitykity’s Vlog
This video blog offers observations from a working mom in Texas. It’s an excellent example of how other parents can record and share despite their hectic schedules.
PODCASTS
Manic Mommies
Erin and Kristin juggle family and full-time jobs and still have time to podcast this entertaining and resonant podcast.
WIKIS
Mom at Work
http://momlogicwiki.warnerbros.com
Mom at Work wiki offers pages on issues affecting working mothers and a community in which moms on the job can commiserate.
SOCIAL NETWORKING
Twitter: The Domestic Diva
http://twitter.com/thedomesticdiva
The Domestic Diva has lots of attitude, so following her Twitter stream is a fun process. She amuses her readers with short bites of humor and zany one liners.
Work It, Mom
Work It, Mom brings working mothers together in this social networking site. Users can create their own profiles, read articles written by other members, or join other users in group chat on discussion boards and groups.
FORUMS/DISCUSSIONS
Black Entrepreneurial Moms Discussion Forum
http://mommytoo.ning.com/group/blackbusinessmoms/forum
A forum at the Mommy Too site, this discussion board provides insight and support for working mothers of color.