It’s impossible to be a super parent. No matter how we try, every parent is bound to end up under some stereotype. Whether it’s because they bottle feed their child or because mom works a full time job. Society has a way of making parents feel bad, although they are good moms and dads.
Jill Besnoy recognized the problem moms have with being attacked no matter what choices they make in parenting and she took advantage of that. By creating honestbaby, her website that offers a community for blogging moms as well as other great resources, she brings to light those things that can make moms feel bad and celebrates “the imperfect journey of parenting.”
Parents can get their children in on the action with shirts that offer great tongue-in-cheek sayings such as, “Working moms rock” and “10th percentile but still growing.” Relieving some of those stresses parents obsess over and giving them a laugh.
I was really excited to get the chance to interview Jill about her website and see what she had to say.
What is honestbaby?
honestbaby celebrates the imperfect journey of parenting. Our site features a non-judgmental community that offers informative articles, a forum where parents can share stories and a line of children’s tees that poke fun at parenting stress.
What was your inspiration?
As a new parent I struggled to live up to the myth of the perfect mother. It wasn’t until after I survived my son’s toddler years, that I finally discovered that there are no answers. Barring established safety precautions, like the use of car seats and not drinking poison, everyone is just guessing. The truth is, there is no “right” way to raise a child.
I was horrified by a site (that will remain nameless), which was filled with Mommy Police and their judgmental attitudes. When parents would share their stories they were made to feel like they were doing things “wrong”. It was not a community that instilled confidence and it was not productive. I felt there had to be another way. At the same time, I conceived the idea of playful t-shirts for babies that would bring humor to the parenting experience. Imperfect Parenting is a concept that was long overdue.
When did you launch your website?
We launched March of 2006. It’s been a very busy two years.
What types of topics are covered on your website?
We cover any topic that might be helpful or interesting to parents…with a non-judgmental take of course :) For example, our tips for breastfeeding included a section about not feeling bad if you didn’t choose to breastfeed. We do a lot of film reviews and we have a popular sleep advice column called “Bedtime Blues: Ask Mrs. Pickle”. We try to offer a platform for all types of parenting. A recent article from Free-Range Kids talked about letting a 9-year old take the subway alone in New York City. That got a big response.
How many different types of shirts do you offer?
Currently we have 14 different sayings 52 different color combinations.
What steps did you need to take to get your website up and running?
It took a lot of research. I looked at tons of parenting sites and decided what I liked, didn’t like and what I thought I could do better. I had to come up with a budget (which we unfortunately exceeded). Most importantly I needed a graphic designer and programmer to translate my vision of honestbaby into a website. Boaz Kimelman, our graphic designer, did a great job. Our programmer, Jamie Ross, is a very patient person as he had to deal with me - the most technically unsavvy person around.
Have you learned anything since the launch of your website that you wish you’d known before?
I learned that when you’re running a website there’s never a break. It needs to be updated constantly. And when it comes to designing and producing t-shirts, it helps to have a background in fashion. There were more misses than hits.
What came first the great parenting community or the fun baby tee’s?
They were really launched simultaneously. The parenting stories fuel the sayings that we come up with for the tees.
What experience were you able to bring with you when you started your website?
My background is in comedic film and television so I had no problem finding the humor in child rearing. Years of helping writers develop their storytelling skills enabled me to recognize the parenting stories that were out there and help them be heard.
How do you manage your time between running your website and taking care of your family?
honestbaby is a lot more work than I had planned on but I love having the flexibility of being my own boss. I can see my 5 year-old break the board at Tae Kwon Do class in the middle of the day or take my pre-schooler to lunch if I so choose. I don’t have to run it by anyone.
Unfortunately I’m also the one who suffers the consequences of an unproductive day. I wish I could say that when it’s family time I don’t work and focus exclusively on the kids. That would be untrue. Just ask my 3 year-old how he feels about my blackberry. He was so tired of me texting at the playground last week that he snatched it away and tried to bury it in the sandbox. Often the line is very blurry. Hopefully, as honestbaby grows I will be able to delegate more responsibility or at least manage my time better :) It’s challenging to find the time to give to honestbaby without infringing on my family yet invigorating to build something I believe in.
Do you have any advice for the moms out there who would like to start a business?
Make sure to expect a very big time commitment. It will be overwhelming at first but if you just push through, it will get easier. Even if you doubt yourself, which you will, never give up. Surround yourself with a good support system, which should include positive people and very reliable babysitting.
Melanie D. on April 29th, 2008 at 9:37 am
I define perfect parenting as the struggle and selflessness involve in raising a child.