The Kidoinfo website and email has been temporarily unavailable yesterday and part of today due to a malfunction with a server at our web-hosting company. I am pleased to say the problem is now fixed. I hope you were mesmerized with the phenomenal range of weather in the Rhode Island area yesterday—from blue skies to lightning to hail—and you missed us a little, but are ecstatic to have us back.

I spent a lovely long weekend away with my family to attend a wedding. My mind is still filled with visions of the luscious colored saris the women wore during the Hindu ceremony and the intricate henna pattern (Mehendi) on the bride’s feet and hands.

I am just now catching up with email and blog posts—I was pleasantly surprised to see that Linda from a la mode, awarded Kidoinfo one of her top five blogs. I am flattered. I will share the love and name some of my favorites:

Rag & Bone blog: A great place to feed your mind and creative soul with everything paper

IKEA Hacker: Endless creative ideas for your IKEA finds

Angry Chicken: Amy shares her creative life with kids

Scrumdilly-do: More fun things to make, read and do with our kidos

Social Media for Social Change: A VERY new site with the mission - exploring how technology can promote good in the world

It has been a happy day.

photo credit: Douglas Itkin

Kidoinfo.com officially turns one today. Starting this site sometimes felt a little like having a baby—except this time I didn’t give birth to twins. First-time pregnancies often allow us time to spend reading, researching, and getting ready for the arrival of the new baby; once he or she is born, however, it’s a whole new world.

Before I launched Kidoinfo.com, I spent time reading, researching, and planning as well. I spent time writing and getting used to blogging (which explains why blog posts start in January 2007) and I talked with friends, families, and many parents about what they would like to see in a parenting website. Thanks to my husband, who devoted many hours of programming the site, and extended family members, who offered to babysit our sons, Kidoinfo.com was born last spring. Since that time (as with a baby’s first year), many changes have taken place and many people have helped me along the way. Kidoinfo.com becomes more relevant and useful the more people share their ideas and experience.

Thanks to all the fabulous people I have met because of the website, to my mom friends who have supported me in making this happen, and to all the amazing people (see list) who contribute their writing and expertise to make this site what it is. Thanks to the growing Kidoinfo community that keeps me inspired and keeps the website energized.

Stay tuned for plans to help celebrate! And as always, I welcome your comments and feedback.

Some of you already know and love Kidoinfo’s Weekend Picks, our weekly guide of family fun events in and around Rhode Island. The Weekend Picks is available on the website (see sample) and as an email delivered to your inbox every Thursday. (Preferred by most readers)

Kidoinfo is all about making parenting easier and more fun, and our weekly roundup of events is one of the ways that we try to make your planning simpler.

Of course you can always check our Events Calendar for a specific day, but why not get the information delivered? And you don’t even have to tip the paperboy.

While you’re signing up for stuff, you can also choose to receive the daily posts by email. As always, I love to hear from you –be sure to email me your events, ideas, and helpful parenting tips.

Based on popular demand, we’re starting a Message Board to enable everyone in the Kidoinfo community to share ideas. Even though we love receiving questions directly from readers, we believe you are a savvy bunch, full of great ideas and valuable resources, and sometimes we just don’t have all the answers. (We haven’t tried everything, been everywhere, or gone to every school, etc.) The new classified section is a great place to post or find job opportunities or items for sale.

We tried to make the message board simple to use and have provided FAQs, in case you’re not familiar with message boards. If you only want to read messages, there’s no need to register - just click around and read. If you want to add a topic or reply to a message, then you must register.

We set up a number of forum categories to keep things organized, and depending on user input, we’ll add more categories and divide some into subcategories, as needed. We asked people for their advice and invited a group of people to test the message board before making it public, so it should work, but contact us if you encounter problems or if you have suggestions.

Of course, we’ll continue to maintain the rest of Kidoinfo with daily posts, events listings and more, but we’re excited about enriching the site with the collective wisdom of our readers and how much we all stand to benefit.

Wow! Kidoinfo is a winner of the 2007 Best of Rhode Island Awards in the Kid stuff category. As the new kid on the block, it’s an honor to have Kidoinfo recognized in its infancy. I created Kidoinfo to be a smart, useful online resource for families in the Providence area and beyond. As a mom of two young kids, I am always looking for ways to make parenting a little easier, more creative, and less stressful. Since officially launching the site in March (on Dr. Seuss’s birthday), the community response has been tremendous both online and off.

Thanks to everyone who voted, but thank you even more to all the great people who make Kidoinfo what it is. This site is possible because of the growing number of people who have joined the Kidoinfo team. Many thanks to Douglas Itkin (husband and tech guy), Nancy King (assistant editor), Katy Killilea (Grocery News and guest writer), Michelle Riggen-Ransom (Nature/Nurture), Mark Binder (Story of the Month), Kelly LaChance-Guertin (Ask Kelly), Providence Children’s Museum (monthly column), Shannon Mullen (intern), plus a number of contributing writers and the many friends, relatives and fellow parents who have provided valuable feedback and suggestions. It’s an honor to have the support of so many of you.

We are doing a little maintenance on our site today. I apologize in advance for any inconvenience. Some of the resource sections may be temporarily unavailable while we add more listings and a couple of cool new features. Stay tuned for more about Parks + Playgrounds, Shopping, Childcare, and more!

Have a listing you want to add? Email us about your business or service along with a brief description, address, and your contact information.

Great news! I’m launching the Kidoinfo newsletter today. Weekend picks and much more will be e-mailed every week to everyone who signs up. (If you have not had a chance to register, click here to receive your FREE newsletter.)

Make planning your weekend with the kids a little easier and lots more enjoyable. The Kidoinfo newsletter announces terrific events in the Providence area and beyond. Plan your morning, an afternoon outing or make an entire daytrip to someplace new.

Kidoinfo makes parenting a little easier by bringing together fun, timely and valuable resources for kids. Visit often to see what’s new, contribute your ideas and comments, and share us with your friends.

RSS (Really Simple Syndication) FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)

What is it?
A method for communicating summarized information (”RSS feed”), which is linked to more detailed information. It’s like skimming the headlines of a newspaper.

Why use it?
RSS allows information to flow directly to you from multiple sources without having to manually revisit all the websites. Every time a website is updated, the information flows into your “feed reader”. It’s FREE.

How to use it?
1. Try clicking on Kidoinfo’s RSS link and see what happens. Your browser (such as Firefox, Safari or Internet Explorer) may have built-in support for viewing RSS feeds. Or you might see a mess of XML code - go to step 2.
2. Get free software and follow their instructions for subscribing to RSS feeds.
Try: Bloglines, Feedreader, Googler Reader, or NewsGator

What do you think?
Click comments below and tell us which RSS software you use and if Kidoinfo’s RSS feed works for you.

MORE
• RSS history and details from Wikipedia
• Look up technology terms in Webopedia

Welcome to Kidoinfo, a hip new online resource. Kidoinfo makes everything related to kids and parents accessible to families, in and around Rhode Island, whether you are a local or a tourist. Visit regularly - to see what’s new in books, music, food, schools, local venues, and more. Search the calendar for ongoing and special events. Check the Weekend Picks for fun things to do with your kids every week. Watch for the A-List to find the best cookie, pizza, playground, etc.

Sign up for free email, and receive a weekly newsletter with great events for kids and families in the area. Stay tuned for the Kido Contests with great giveaways! If you have events to submit for the Calendar or listings for the Resource Directory, please email me.

If you like what you see, or know someone who will, click the email link below to tell them about Kidoinfo. We’re still growing, we welcome your questions, comments, and suggestions.

Get connected, spread the word. Find out more about us.

- Anisa
kidoinfo
editor-in-chief