Parenting is no easy feat, and with the advent of the pandemic, that has only multiplied further. Working employees and entrepreneurs now have to juggle working from home while their toddler is screaming in the background. To help parents everywhere, startups have found easy solutions to everyday problems to help exhausted parents around the globe. From educational services to sleep training apps, five startups are designed to make parenting life more effortless.
Play Kits by Lovevery are a subscription service that delivers science-backed, non-toxic toys that babies want and need, designed by child development experts for every stage of development. Kits are delivered every other month and start at $36 per month. Lovevery was created to help parents boost their children’s cognitive abilities in a fun way while providing an alternative to screen time.
The idea behind Lovevery began after Lovevery Co-Founder and CEO Jessica Rolph read a doctoral dissertation titled ‘Current Research Findings on the Neurological Development of Infants’. Rolph wanted to share what she had learned with other parents, which led her to create a company that worked on children’s brain development. “At Lovevery, we make the science of early childhood more approachable,” said Rolph.
The company helps young girls realize their passions through a series of books on various topics. The Startup Squad believes that entrepreneurship can help young girls be all they can be, develop essential life skills and chase their dreams with conviction.
Wesfield had the idea for the startup after he watched his eight-year-old daughter struggle to sell Girl Scout cookies. Weisfeld was frustrated at the lack of empowering influences for young girls, so he created a brand for girls that would inspire and harness their entrepreneurial spirit. “Not every girl wants to be a princess,” said Weisfeld. “Some want to run the castle. Design the moat. Or break the glass slipper and open a company with better footwear.”
3. Huckleberry
Huckleberry was founded as a way to improve kids’ sleep patterns. The app uses pediatric sleep experts and artificial intelligence to create individualized sleep plans for every family to combat any resistance from kids. The app asks parents to take a diagnostic quiz, track sleeping hours, naps and bedtimes. This allows them to predict when the child will be sleeping and what works best for them.
Jessica Toh, Co-Founder of Huckleberry, says, “As a new parent, I never expected that my child would wake up every few hours for nearly two years, in spite of all the books I read and methods I tried. It turned out there were many others in the same position.” She continued, “I felt in this day and age there must be a way to solve this for all the sleep-deprived people out there who just want the best for their children,” which eventually led to Huckleberry.
4. Peanut
Peanut is the mom version of tinder that allows moms to swipe right on like-minded moms in the neighbourhood and make new friends. Once you create an account, the app shows you, other women, at a similar stage in life–from fertility, pregnancy, and motherhood to menopause. The app also has a blog section with various tips to help with parenting struggles and motherhood.
Michelle Kennedy had the idea for Peanut after having her first baby, Finlay, and was finding it challenging to meet other moms that led to the app’s genesis. “Peanut is more than an app to connect mothers,” according to Kennedy. “It’s about recognizing a pain point that millions of women encounter and finding a solution.”
In Conclusion
With the advent of these companies, it has become easier to access and find information to fulfil your child’s every need. As Ralphie, Founder of Simply on Purpose, said, “The simplest parenting formula ever: when children feel well, they behave well.”
