Virtual help for parents

Danette Goulet

NEWPORT BEACH -- When Lisa Parades’ son needs a haircut, she powers up

her computer.

When Corona del Mar’s Janie Damaschino needs to know her children’s

gym schedule, she goes online.

Leigh Donaldson found an article on multiple births that she passed on

to her friend, who is pregnant with twins.

And the end to Eva Rubin’s agonizing search for a nanny came on the

Web.

All four women got their answers at o7 childslife.comf7 , a Web site

created and operated by Newport Beach couple Cindy and Peter Jackson. It

offers parents up-to-date, in-depth information about local events,

activities, resources, play groups and more.

It’s a yellow pages for parents that won’t blacken the fingertips.

“We’re trying to be a one-stop shop for local families,” said Cindy

Jackson.

The site offers more than 70 categories, from adoptions to zoos, she

said.

The main section of the Web site is a calendar of local events and

activities in the area.

“I use the site a lot,” said Parades, who lives in San Clemente. “I

use it for my son’s haircuts. We’ve learned of a place in Mission Viejo

for gymnastics. We’ve found activities to do on weekends. We found a play

group. It’s really nice to have something Orange County-based.”

What the Jacksons started the project a year ago here in their own

backyard, they have now taken it to a national level.

In July, the duo began branching out and hiring community liaisons

across the country. They now have local sites for parents in 67 major

metropolitan areas, Peter Jackson said, all the while keeping that local

feel.

“We saw a niche and a need,” he said. “We’ll probably start breaking

even by the end of the first quarter of 2001.”

The Web site is funded by the businesses that advertise on it, with

some paying extra to have a direct link.

With 3,000 to 4,000 resources locally and 200,000 nationally, the

sites are constantly changing and being updated.

And while the calendar of activities is the main draw of the site,

they have other attractions that keep parents coming back.

“I was looking for a nanny and it proved to be most helpful. I ended

up hiring my current nanny from the service I found on there,” said

Rubin, who lives in Coto de Caza. “I had been looking through the Penny

Saver, going through other agencies ... this one was just very quick and

easy.”

Donaldson, a very busy mother from Corona del Mar, said she visits the

site about three times a week and always takes time to read the

newsletter and articles posted there.

“It’s got really good articles,” she said. “Overall, it’s a good site

and has lot of information.”