Being a Parent Doesn’t Have To Be So Hard: How Cooper Can Help

Being a Parent Doesn’t Have To Be So Hard: How Cooper Can Help

Being a parent is one of the most challenging experiences anyone can go through. From the moment someone announces she will become a parent, she will find herself bombarded with unsolicited and conflicting advice, misinformation, unrealistic expectations, and much more. Over half of all parents feel like they are failing during the first year of parenthood, a disheartening statistic that reflects society’s unrealistic expectations for parents. With plenty of well-meaning advice around, trying to make sense of it makes parenting — an already difficult journey — seem harder and has resulted in startups like Cooper embarking on a mission to empower parents with confidence and allow them to enjoy parenting. 

Being parents themselves, Cooper Founders Gabby Slome and Ariel Boorstin personally had to deal with the increasing noise that surrounds parenting. With an increasing number of social-media influencers and trends, parenting books and articles, unsolicited advice by third parties, and their own preconceptions, they quickly understood why parenting can feel so hard and lonely. Their frustration and wish for change led them to create Cooper in 2021 to cut through the noise, equip parents with real data around child development, and help parents find their true village. 

“We live in a world in which the search for perfection has permeated every aspect of our life, which will inevitably lead to anxiety when applied to parenthood,” explains Slome, Cooper’s CEO and mother of three. “The strongest predictor of a child's well-being is the well-being of their parents. Cooper is all about helping parents deal with this negativity by bringing clarity and support.” Cooper understands and embraces the idea of parenthood as an adventure into the unknown, which implies that uncertainty and challenges will always be part of the journey… but so will the rewards and satisfaction. 

“While we don’t believe there is or can be a definitive map to parenthood, we do believe that we have a lot of tools that can empower, ground, and support parents, tools that are the result of tons of research,” adds Slome. “While the fruits of this research are out there, most parents are not aware of their existence because of the noise. We are changing that with Cooper.” 

Most experts agree that effective, easier, and rewarding parenting requires that the parents don’t neglect their own self-growth or self-care. With this in mind, Cooper helps parents face parenthood head-on by providing a safe space they can trust and turn to at any time when unexpected moments with a heavy emotional load occur. Cooper parents are encouraged to see these moments as learning opportunities, a change in outlook that can be more powerful than it seems. 

“Providing parents with an article or advice is not enough if they are not in the right mindset to understand it or apply it.” adds Dr. Erin O’Connor, Cooper’s Chief of Education. “Everything changed for me and my children once I understood that facing these challenges didn’t mean I had failed,” says Boorstin. “I certainly don’t get it right 100% of the time; no parent does. But I now have the right tools to explore, understand, and deal with the ups and down every child and parent goes through,” she added.  

To fulfill its mission of helping parents and children develop the capabilities and self-awareness to reach their full potential, Cooper offers several tools. These include hyper-curated parenting groups and resources, live virtual group and 1-on-1 coaching sessions, 24/7 chat support, access to exclusive events, and much more.  

When a parent or expecting parent joins Cooper and goes through the onboarding process, they are assigned a “Coop”. As these Coops will be at the center of every parent’s journey with Cooper, these intimate groups of parents are matched on criteria like family structure, age, experience, interests, and expectations. This approach ensures that tight-knit communities emerge over time, creating connections that not only help parents feel genuinely heard and supported but can also last a lifetime. 

Cooper’s groups go far beyond rebutting the notion of parenting as a solitary experience. To bring even more value to these groups, Cooper also assigns a “Coop Leader” who will hold monthly live sessions with their Coop, creating a space for learning, discussion, and support specially tailored to each group member. 

“Our Coop Leaders are PhDs in child developmental research, child psychologists, and clinical social workers with decades of experience working with parents and children,” adds Slome. “If it takes a village to raise a child, we want these villages to be uniquely positioned to do so in the best possible way. We are taking this idea and bringing it to the 21st century through technology, science, expertise, and most importantly, empathy.” 

In a world dominated by Instagram posts, clickbait articles, and cheap journalism, Cooper’s approach could prove to be a game changer for the new generations. While parenting will certainly continue to be a challenging experience, it will also be an opportunity for healing, self-growth, hope, and deep emotional connection. Parenthood is no longer about raising a child but also about raising yourself.