Calling all parents!

Hey all you parents out there! Waukee Patch needs your help!

You know that saying that if you need something done, ask the busiest person in the room?

Well, one thing I learned early on as a mother of three is that if I wanted to know the best pre-school in town or what to make for dinner that night, I just had to ask another mom. All the parenting books in the world can’t replace the know-how of those in the trenches. It’s too bad we are all so strapped for time that we can’t reach out to fellow parents nearby in an instant.

Or can we?

Patch is one of those virtual places where people can connect in real time, nap time or in just the shortest time to spare — it’s up to you. And we think we’ve just scratched the surface of what Patch can do to help connect local parents to each other and to their communities, all with the goal of making the act of parenting in 2011 less stressful. It also wouldn’t hurt to have some ideas on how to make your personal time or time with a spouse or partner more fun and fulfilling.

So starting very soon, we're going to be producing a lot of material we hope you'll find useful. Tips and stories on everything from finding the best pediatrician to the best spot for a little overdue peace and quiet. We'll be giving you the latest information on your schools, compelling opinion columns from other mothers and local deals to save money — no hunting a zillion websites for outdated coupons.

One great way to get involved is to sign on for the Patch Parents Council, to share your expertise and perspective with your neighbors (including us).

We are seeking all sorts of moms, dads and even grandparents. Your involvement can be as little or as much as you’d like.

We'll put you on an e-mail list just for Parents Council members, where you (and we) can trade advice and ideas about being a parent in our community. We'll alert you to features on the site where you can chime in with tips or answer questions to help your fellow parents out. We might eventually organize some meetings for the benefit of parents and families overall, and we'll invite you to be a part of that.

So please e-mail your local editor Jody Gifford (jody.gifford@patch.com) and let her know we can count you in.

And because you probably don't hear it enough: Thanks!