I’ve been a solo parent to 5 young children for over three years. It was not a decision I made or part of my life plan, but it happened. The circumstances arose at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, a time fraught with uncertainty and multiple unknown factors.
An Unexpected Journey
Being a parent is an emotional roller-coaster ride filled with joy, fear, love, worry, and constant questioning. Parenting is one of the most challenging jobs, often thankless, and accompanying every decision carries weight and implications for your child’s future.
My journey has been fraught with anxiety, uncertainty, and, often, feelings of isolation, especially regarding parenting decisions.
Life has a way of taking us down unexpected paths. It was not a part of my life plan to become a solo parent, and it was certainly not my choice. But, in the face of challenges, humans adapt and evolve, and so did I. My wife passed away days before COVID; it was sudden and unexpected. I became a solo parent navigating trauma and the start of my solo-parenting journey during the initial stages of a global pandemic. There was immense uncertainty worldwide, and this increased my sense of isolation. The world closed down, as did my life, alone at home with kids in a seemingly parallel universe where everything was the same, but the rules of play were unknown; chaos ensued. Many questions kept me up at night (and still do): Where do I turn? Who can answer my parenting queries? What advice should I heed?
If you’ve ever found yourself lost in the labyrinth of parenting advice, you’re not alone.
A Look at the Stats
To understand the severity of the issue, consider these statistics:
- According to a YouGov survey in 2022, 59% of parents grapple with mental health issues.
- One in three parents with young children struggle to access healthcare professionals.
- A study by APA in 2021 revealed that 82% of fathers desired more emotional support during the pandemic.
These figures underscore the pressing need for robust support systems for parents, particularly in challenging times. The struggles are real and shared by millions, if not billions, of parents worldwide.
Harnessing Technology: The Power of AI
Social media became an immense comfort for me, allowing me to connect with others in a similar situation, and it helped to build a virtual support system. However, over time, it became a substitute for real interaction; it sucked me in, and I wasted time scrolling through content designed to hook and keep me engaged on the platform. The initial benefits I gained from social media fast became overshadowed by the dopamine-driven desire to distract myself. The initial benefit I gained through connecting with people gave way to increased loneliness and isolation.
I started seeking a new way to address my parenting challenges and get quick, timely, practical answers. Searching through algorithm-driven search results for a solution resonating with my desired parenting approach took a lot of work. Lengthy explanations and the need for more concise, actionable methods often confronted me. Asking a question in a social media group required waiting for an answer, and I often had to scroll through multiple irrelevant or inappropriate solutions. By that time, the immediate issue was over, and my response to the situation had not necessarily been effective. Such delayed or ineffective responses could lead to more anxiety for my child and myself.
For decades technology has been employed to address numerous societal challenges, some more effective than others. Since the rise of AI at the beginning of 2023, I have followed the space with much interest and intrigue. One such solution in the mental health arena is the Wysa app, an AI-powered tool that has significantly aided its users with mental health issues. To date, Wysa has screened 60,000 members for mental health support, resulting in a 31% decrease in moderate anxiety symptoms and a 38% decrease in severe anxiety. An overwhelming majority of users (83%) found the app beneficial, and 88% used it regularly.
The success of AI applications like Wysa piqued my interest in the potential of AI in parenting. I experimented with ChatGPT, a generic AI model trained on diverse datasets, to seek advice on parenting dilemmas. Despite the justified concerns regarding data accuracy and fabrication by AI, my experience with ChatGPT has largely been positive. Having experienced scenarios where the AI fabricated data, I learned to use effective prompts to manipulate the model into providing accurate science-based parenting answers resulting in practical parenting advice for various situations.
Joining Forces: Nobody Studios and Parentipity
For the past few months, I have collaborated with Nobody Studios on their Parentipity brand. The opportunity to combine my personal life experience with my work is inspiring. It gives me a chance to help others navigate their parenting journey. We are developing an AI-enabled platform to support parents to alleviate the loneliness and uncertainty often accompanying parenting challenges. We’re creating an AI assistant to offer quick, accessible support with a sprinkle of humour to lighten the parenting journey.
We aim to foster a community between like-minded parents through the ability to share their parenting knowledge and wisdom, helping others along the way. We want to cut through the noise of traditional platforms and ensure concise, relevant and practical advice and ideas are easily accessible and consumable when a parenting situation arises.
The Future of Parenting: Uniting Technology and Compassion
Every parent has a unique story enriched by diverse experiences, backgrounds, and cultures. Yet, we all share a common denominator – the desire to provide our children with the best parenting possible. This universal sentiment fuels our collective strength, resilience, and hope.
It’s this hope that we wish to nurture with Parentipity. By harnessing the power of technology, we aim to enhance the beauty of the parenting journey. We envision a future where no parent feels isolated or unsupported. A future where technology does not replace the human touch but complements it, providing us with the tools to be more understanding, patient, and compassionate caregivers.
Our shared experiences shape our community’s fabric, and your unique voice will breathe life into Parentipity. We are actively developing this platform for parents, ensuring their direct involvement will shape its development and growth. We invite you to join us on this journey and play a pivotal role in redefining parenting for future generations. We’re not just creating an application; we’re crafting a legacy.
Summary
As we strive to create a tool that will transform how parents navigate challenges, we need your help. We’re seeking parents willing to test the product, share their feedback, and help develop this tool. Our ultimate goal is to improve parents’ mental health by providing support in the early stages of parenting dilemmas.
Are you interested in helping shape a tool that could revolutionize how parents deal with challenges? We welcome your participation. As we move to the launch of our beta platform, your input is invaluable, and we are deeply appreciative of your support!
The intersection of parenting and technology holds immense potential. As a parent who has endured tremendous uncertainty and emerged stronger, technology, particularly AI, has proven a unique contender to deliver the much-needed support that parents often seek. Together, let’s make the parenting journey less daunting and more rewarding.
So, what do you say? Let’s help each other be the best parents we can be. I can’t wait to embark on this journey with you!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Howard Glick
Marketing Lead, Parentipity
A solo father of five, originally from London, now living on a serene hilltop in the Galilee. Through the experience of his unexpected trauma at the pandemic’s start, Howard is on a mission, to inspire and support parents through mental health challenges. As the marketing lead for Parentipity, he is working to build an AI assistant to support parents through their parenting journey.
