Humans get trained and educated in many area of their lives—playing sports, driving, learning languages—but there’s no scholarship in parenting, a role that demands dozens of endlessly adaptable skills and instant expertise in keeping a brand new human being alive, bright and happy. Motherhood throws so many curveballs, it makes The Hunger Games look like a Disney production.
It’s never easy being a mother—but it is easier being an Indian mom in 2017 than it was a few years ago, all thanks to a bunch of mothers who decided to pay forward what they have learned while bringing up their brood. Earlier, when a new mom in India had questions about massages or Mozart lullabies, diaper rashes or disciplining, she turned to the limited knowledge of family and friends. Books and online parenting resources didn’t quite solve issues that Indian moms uniquely grappled with.
Now, we have these: Helpchecker, a Facebook page that is best described as Yelp for maids, nannies and the agencies that supply them; mommy blogs like Kidsstoppress.com that talk about products and services available in Indian cities (and even hand out their own awards); book and toy libraries such as Smart Cubs that fulfil neighbourhood needs in ways that Amazon can’t; social networks like BabyChakra, specifically for Indian moms; Localowls.com, an aggregator for the best local teachers and class-es for children; and games boxes and developmental toys such as Mom-dom and Flintobox. These are all enterprises started by mothers from a variety of pre-parenting backgrounds, serving the Indian context. Here are a few of our favourite momtrepreneurs who bring us news and information about parenting and help us educate our children and selves.
Tara Sharma
Creator, co-producer, writer, host of The Tara Sharma Show
Tara Sharma’s father, also an actor and writer, once told her: “If something doesn’t exist, create it.” So two sons later, when Sharma realised that India lacked a parenting show that was honest, fun and relevant, she knew what she had to do. “My show is intended to be a realistic parenting diary,” she says. With over two million views, her eponymous, multi-platform show, broadcast online and on Star World, is co-produced by her husband and media entrepreneur Roopak Saluja.
Tarasharmashow.com
Karla Bookman Godrej
Founder, The Swaddle
After the birth of her first daughter, Godrej realised there weren’t any parenting resources that spoke to her, so she created one. The Swaddle publishes original content with a commitment to high-quality, deeply vetted research on children’s health and development, as well as topics like gender equality, neuroscience and behavioural psychology. “We joke that The Swaddle is the parenting site for people who don’t read parenting sites,” she says. Up next: videos that answer all of those pesky questions parents have, in their website’s tongue-in-cheek tone.
Theswaddle.com
Atiya Darbar, Afra Kochra
Founders, Kiddiegram
Atiya Darbar and Afra Kochra are sisters who got married young, had children early, exchanged notes about parenting in India, and realised there were no local guides on social media. This led them to start Kiddiegram, “an Instagram parenting guide”. In late 2014 Darbar put up her first post about the trials and joys of travelling with her kid. Since then, they’ve gained over 30,000 engaged followers, looking to find ideas for meals, activities and shopping for their little ones, all laced with mommy-brain humour.
Kiddiegram.in
Tejal Bajla, Kiran C Amlani, Shreya Lamba
Founders, The Mommy Network
Friends, career women and new moms Kiran Amlani and Shreya Lamba decided to create a support group and social network for other mommy friends in 2014. The Mommy Network Facebook group started as a well-curated community of mothers who were allowed to join only by invitation. Members share parenting experiences that range from weaning babies to school interviews. A few months after the group took form, the duo invited fellow momtrepreneur Tejal Bajla, founder of Brainsmith (known for making flashcards that are as pretty as they are educational), to address a session on early brain development, and eventually join TMN’s core team.
Facebook.com/tmnindia
Abha Mehta Shah
Founder, PodSquad
When Mehta returned to India after studying abroad, she realised that schools here followed rote-based learning instead of an experiential, hands-on approach. Her solution? PodSquad’s age-wise activity boxes, containing puzzles, crafts, board games and books. “They seem like they’re about fun but they have a backbone of learning,” says Mehta. Available across India, each monthly subscription box has been designed based on Harvard professor Howard Gardner’s theory that people are born with nine innate intelligences. Targeting the working parent who is short on time, each box comes with a Pod—furry creatures with different moods, feelings and personalities. Podsquad.in
Priyanka Seth Pandit
Founder and director, Music Together Mumbai
Flautist, mother-of-three and former history teacher with a Master’s in education from Columbia University, Priyanka Seth Pandit brought the only research-based music and movement programme, Music Together, to India in 2006. Ever since, she’s helped babies and children (about 500 of them each year) develop physical, cognitive and language skills while singing, dancing and playing instruments with their parents, in music groups conducted by her dedicated team of teachers. Her second project, Music in Measures, uses the same techniques layered with world music and literature.
Musictogethermumbai.com
Sanna A’esha
Founder, Kidchen
“How could something that adults can’t stop indulging in, be repulsive to children?” says A’esha. “It bothered me to see children forced, tricked and bribed into eating.” When this Bengaluru-based mom introduced her son to solids, instead of giving him bland food, she exposed him to the whole gamut of flavours. By the time he was two, he was helping her prepare meals, and the idea for Kidchen took root. A’esha also holds food workshops in schools. “At Kidchen, kids watch plants grow,” she says. “They learn which leaves are ‘eatable’. They learn to chop, knead, roll, fold; to share, count, colour, clean up; to describe flavours, to taste, to witness magic.” Facebook.com/kidchenbangalore
Photographed by Arsh Sayed; Styled by Ria Kamat
On Tara: Jumper, skirt; both Missoni. Shoes, Christian Louboutin.On Karla: Blouse, Dries Van Noten. Trousers,Rick Owens. Shoes,Thakoon. On Atiya:Shirt, Bungalow 8. Jeans, Gap. Shoes,Valentino Garavani. On Afra: Shirt, Hemant & Nandita. Trousers, Zara. Shoes, Christian Louboutin. On Tejal: Dress, Vince Camuto. On Kiran: Dress, Marks & Spencer. Shoes, L.K.Bennett. On Shreya: Dress, Wren. Shoes, Kurt Geiger.
On Abha: Shirt dress, BABG Max Azria. On Priyanka: Shirt, Dhruv Kapoor. Trousers, Dior. On Sanaa: Dress, Kharakapas. Jacket, Chola.
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