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Launch HN: Trustle (YC W20) – On-demand child development experts for parents

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Re: Launch HN: Trustle (YC W20) – On-demand child development experts for parents

#121

Post by todsul »

I'm a paying customer of Trustle, for a few months now, and absolutely love the service. I don't know the founders, I just work with one coach and couldn't recommend her highly enough. I proselytize to friends and family, but they never seem to understand and just give me blank stares as I explain how much she helps. Maybe I do a poor job pitching, but I don't think that's it.

If I had to guess, I think most people prefer to be reactive, not just with children, but in every facet of life. Whereas other people (especially on HN) are instinctively proactive and are always looking for new ways to invest in the future. The reactive people don't seem to understand why I need the help of a professional when my infant child seems calm and grounded. Proactive people understand immediately; they get that it's an investment.

When I signed up, I didn't even know what Trustle was planning to offer. They said they do "parent coaching". Huh? I just knew for $x/month if I could bounce ideas off a professional it would be more than worth it. Fast forward a few weeks and I quickly learned to trust my coach's advice more than any pediatrician, day care worker or family member. The reasons are long and detailed, but suffice to say I'm a serious fan.

I've spoken to my coach a couple of times about tough situations, like sleep problems (she was impossibly helpful), but mostly I see value in our discussions about learning, discipline, philosophy, independence, etc. I've come to love her pragmatic, balanced and evidenced-based approach.

Re: Launch HN: Trustle (YC W20) – On-demand child development experts for parents

#125

Post by eba7keb »

todsul wrote: post #121

I'm a paying customer of Trustle, for a few months now, and absolutely love the service. I don't know the founders, I just work with one coach and couldn't recommend her highly enough. I proselytize to friends and family, but they never seem to understand and just give me blank stares as I explain how much she helps. Maybe I do a poor job pitching, but I don't think that's it. If I had to guess, I think most people p…

Thank you for sharing your experience! The most rewarding part of this process has been seeing the way parents feel supported by our coaches, and they really are amazing.

Re: Launch HN: Trustle (YC W20) – On-demand child development experts for parents

#126

Post by eba7keb »

eba7keb wrote: post #93
nickswan wrote: post #39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What books would you recommend? Parent to 3 young kids and haven’t read any books on parenting or raising kids yet. As much worries about making a bad choice as well as a good one (in book choice that is!) that would lead to teaching the wrong stuff and habits

I think broadly, the challenge with parenting books is that they sometimes put forth a particular philosophy or approach (some are more neutral and inclusive than others). So, I think it really depends what you are looking for, what your parenting style is, and the ages of your kids. And if you are looking for advice, context is really important. To directly answer though - my favorite parenting book is The Gardner a…

And, the parenting books by Emily Oster (Crib Sheet and Expecting Better - the latter is about pregnancy and the first early childhood).

Re: Launch HN: Trustle (YC W20) – On-demand child development experts for parents

#127

Post by eba7keb »

2arrs2ells wrote: post #120

My wife and I had our first kid almost four months ago. Trustle connected us with an amazing coach (Alina!) who’s been amazing at fielding our questions around feeding and sleep. We’re much calmer parents with a happier baby thanks to Trustle.

Thanks for sharing your experience. Alina is fantastic!

Re: Launch HN: Trustle (YC W20) – On-demand child development experts for parents

#128

Post by eba7keb »

AnonC wrote: post #123

How do these experts deal with cultural factors? Would the matching take into account the general culture that the parents are exposed to?

I appreciate this really important question. I think the same way that psychologists, therapists, and teachers do. There is absolutely something powerful about a shared cultural experience with a provider, and we are keeping diversity on the forefront of our mind when hiring, recruiting, and onboarding coaches (it's also a reason that we allow parents to choose their own coach, rather than assigning them). The second is that our professionals, like all licensed professionals in education and the helping professions, are trained to be able to work with a variety of people, and cultural competence is emphasized (it's often a required component of training, education, and continuing education). We screen for cultural competency and the ability to work with a diverse range of parents. That being said, we know at the cultural match is important, and this is a real issue that exists in the helping professions. We hope that Trustle will actually provide a platform for increased opportunity and availability of diverse coaches (as opposed to being confined by who lives in your immediate area).

Re: Launch HN: Trustle (YC W20) – On-demand child development experts for parents

#129

Post by eba7keb »

tropo wrote: post #117
eba7keb wrote: post #95

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Our experts have a range of certifications - we have PhD's, mater's level educators with degrees in child development, PsyDs, BCBAs, LMFTs (to name a few). While the state by state laws are changing all the time, the restrictions are around the service provided. Our experts have the background information on child development, and the experience working with families, but we are not providing counseling, therapy or d…

The one legitimate qualification is missing: having had lots of kids. For example: 4 sons, 4 daughters, and at least 10 grandkids. Child development industry fads come and go, sometimes drifting away from sanity and reality.

Having children is absolutely a valuable experience! We definitely have coaches who have several children. I think this can cut both ways, though. I was a child psychologist before I had my own children. I don't think it dramatically changed the way I support parents. Mostly because I wasn't working from the framework of my personal experience. What I do with my own children is irrelevant when helping a parent (this is the difference between advice and evidence-based information) - and in fact, there is nothing worse than a therapist saying 'well, with MY kids at every turn (it can be helpful, but you have to be careful)....' Having a child gives you lots of experience, but it doesn't make you an expert in child development (it does help when working with parents, and a LOT of parents appreciate when our coaches have several kids of their own). Also, there are often many ways to get to a goal, and it varies by the child, parent and family. Professionals can often speak to a range of choices (think: sleep) rather than just their own personal experience.

I should also say that we have parents on our service who have 5 children, and tell us each is different, and they still appreciate the support and wisdom.

Re: Launch HN: Trustle (YC W20) – On-demand child development experts for parents

#130

Post by eba7keb »

johnmarcus wrote: post #124

$50/mo seems quite reasonable for the hours of reading it can save. I think this is a great idea.

Thanks - lots of parents say it saves them a ton of time. We have had parents say 'I don't have time to read 5 contradicting books on sleep and potty training, all saying their approach is the best one.' We can help parents sort through the noise, look at their options, and figure out which approach makes the most sense for them.
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