Resources/websites for parents raising kids in Philly area? (Philadelphia: ob-gyn, renting)

[aristotlenova]

Are there any web resources that you guys are aware of specifically aimed at parents raising kids in the Philly metro area? We're moving to Philly from DC, have one kid now and one on the way and have become accustomed to having stuff like the DC Urban Moms and Dads website/message board that helps us find all sorts of info about various topics.

Among the topics we're interested in:

1. List of kids playgrounds & splash parks
2. Info about kids activities and groups (swimming classes, yoga, tumbling, etc...)
3. Info about playgroups or mommy groups that meet regularly
4. Info on schools (preschools and elementary schools)
5. Info about good pediatricians & progressive OB/Gyns (those who emphasize natural child birth and are generally reluctant to do C-sections)
6. Info about hospital with excellent maternity and L+D units

If anyone could point us to various resources that might cover any of these topics, we would be eternally grateful.

[Tangled Threads]

gocitykids.com is a good place to start

also, there are a number of free parents magazines that list info, activities, mom's groups
you can usually find them at grocery stores, libraries, and child-oriented businesses - the only one I can think of the name of is Curious Parents

also look at phillyblog.com - there's a parenting & education section as well as sections on particular neighborhoods

I hope some of this helps.

[Duderino]

Good information. This seems to be a helpful resource, as well:

Being Savvy: Your guide to activities and fun things to do with your preschoolers and kids in Philadelphia, PA

[lititzman2003]

Maybe check to see if there's a Yahoo! Group as well.

[silverspringer]

I searched extensively for online resources last year and didn't turn up much. Dancing Meatballs is a web site that lists local parent/kid events. Phillyblog is great but tightly focused on the city proper (ie, not much for those of us in the burbs). The listservs I've joined (found through yahoo) are very small. Listservs don't seem to be a Philly thing. When I told my ob-gyn that I found the practice thanks to a recommendation on a listserv (DCUM, actually) he was like, what is that? And then he asked me to spell it so he could write it on my chart.

There do seem to be a lot of moms' clubs centered on different areas, and I've found joining one useful for meeting people and getting recommendations for doctors, servicepeople, etc. I don't think of myself as a "moms' club" kind of person, but it's been a good resource.

As for parenting listservs, maybe I should start one...

[silverspringer]

Aristotlenova, I don't want to write a book, but if you're thinking of Lower Merion, the Lower Merion Township web site, though very very slow, has a list of all its playgrounds (my favorites are General Wayne in Merion Park and the one in Narberth), info about joining the pools (in Ardmore and Belmont Hills), and a list of the rec activities available (kids' soccer, tennis, day camp, etc). The Y and the JCC also run programs for kids though I don't have firsthand experience. You can also find out about the libraries (Ludington is my favorite). If you opt for the further-out suburbs, the Y in Berwyn is like a palace. Smith Playground is a great one in the city.

Sally's Music Circle offers music classes for little children, and other programs are run by some of the temples (Beth Hillel, Main Line Reform) and Bryn Mawr Presbyterian.

I can't really recommend my pediatrician or my ob-gyn, and in general I've found finding medical providers I like a challenge here, but you might investigate Bryn Mawr Birth Center. I had a baby at Lankenau, and the L&D unit was very swanky. As it happens I had a natural, intervention-free birth, but from the comments I got from the nurses I don't think that's common there, and anecdotally I've heard it has the highest C-section rate in the Mid-Atlantic.

[aristotlenova]

Wow! Thanks silverspringer, much appreciated. I'm going to direct my wife to your posts and if it's ok with you, tell her to PM you if she has any questions. We're about 90% sure we'll wind up in Lower Merion ultimately (Narberth, Bala Cynwyd or Ardmore) so everything you provided was really really helpful! And btw, my wife was also just telling me that she was getting frustrated at the lack of resources she's finding. We found her DC area OB/Gyn thru the DC Urban Moms and Dads message boards and found that to be such an incredibly valuable resource for everything from L&D unit reviews to baby shopping tips. Maybe you guys should get together and create the Philly version. =)

[orrmobl]

Mom's clubs and meetups (meetup.com) seem the way to meet other Mom's around here...which sucks, because I'm a stay-at-home-Dad and few groups want Dads. My wife works and is the shy type so socializing really isn't her thing anyway. I wish we had a Philly Urban Mom and Dad message board - the only groups that will take me require trekking to the city or driving 30 minutes south to Kennett Square where they *might* allow me to join.

There are also newcomers clubs for people new to the area - I would highly recommend joining one so you can meet people in the same boat...or who are friendly to new people as I hear the Mainline, and I know this area in general, isn't always the most welcoming to new people...can take years before they consider you a neighbor!

For hospitals, Lankenau, University of Pennsylvania I hear are great. Crozer Chester delivered 2 of my 3 kids and the nurses were like family. Bryn Mawr hospital is also very patient-oriented, not to mention local and has a neonatal intensive care unit just in case.

[boringmember]

You guys should totally start a listserv and/or Philly parents messageboard. I would join if we move there

[cfreed]

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