RedRover Allows Parents To Make Play Dates On The Fly

For parents, organizing your kids’ social lives (i.e. playdates) can be a consuming experience. Today, startup RedRover is launching a private social network for parents to research and share everything from child-friendly restaurants to the closest hospitals in an emergency as well as schedule play dates.

Using iPhone and web apps, sers can check-in to locations, or publicize plans to friends within the app. Users are encouraged to leave their tips, thoughts or “their 2cents” for each other. You have to invite friends to join your network via email, as the app does not include Facebook Connect.

The fact that the app doesn’t include a way to import Facebook friends makes it a little difficult to use. The startup says that the virtue of using its network over email, or Facebook, is that RedRover is completely private and simplifies communication with other parents. Founder Kathryn Tucker said that as a parent, social media tools didn’t satisfy her privacy needs. While privacy is a natural concern for parents, I’m not sure if creating a new social network is the answer.