Being a parent of a teenager is a difficult job , but it can be even harder when coupled with the feeling of isolation by living in a rural area and having little contact with other parents .

Also consider how it feels for parents living in an area with a regional district high school which enrolls kids from other towns – teens whom you’venever seen and know nothing about . In addition to these worries , imagine living with the knowledge that the tri-town area of Mansfield , Ashford and Willington has a substantially higher rate of alcohol and substance abuse than the Connecticut state average . And while yourkids are Twittering or posting on MySpace or Facebook social networking sites , what exactly are they doing ? Are they just chatting with friends , or are they doing something risky ?

Being an effective parent in this day and age is a challenge , so a small group of individuals have recently launched a new Web site , called iParentnetwork , specifically designed for parents in this tri-town area .

The site – at http : // www . iparentnetwork . org – will be fully operational in September , but already offers what its creators describe as a “ virtual town square , ” where parents can meet and talk to one another about the challenges of being a parent .

The initiative began with a committed group of parents , teachers , professionals and community members who came together to brainstorm ways they could collectively help keep the community’s kids safe and healthy .

On the site , parents will be able to compare tips and strategies with others , learn from experts , get information about what’s happening in town , find a babysitter or a play group , talk about curfews and much more . Connections with other parents can be made anonymously or using yourname , so parents will have the choice of how they want to interact .

Once they sign in as members , parents can also start discussion groups or join existing ones . By joining a group or starting their own , parents can connect with others to share rides to sports events , connect with other parents of special needs kids for support and new ideas , compare notes on how much time others allow for computer time , what to do if youhave a kid who is resistant to potty training or , if youare the parent of a teen , connect with others to navigate this turbulent period . Just by using the site , parents will become familiar with the same technology tools their kids are already using .

Using clever text lingo , “ b as cnnectd as ur kids r ! ” as their motto , the site will also offer resources on a range of topics including links to town departments , recreational facilities , day cares , pre-schools and school readiness organizations , alcohol and drug abuse help sites , a calendar of events , Internet safety sites and sites with advice on how to talk to yourkids about serious topics .

The site is free to use , as it is funded by the Tri-Town Coalition to Reduce Underage Drinking , as well as a grant from the Connecticut Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services . The Coalition Steering Committee is comprised of a group of volunteer citizens from Willington , Ashford and Mansfield , as well as staff from collaborating agencies in the three towns . They oversee the project and work closely with a parttime project coordinator and a Parent Advisory Group , which welcomes new members . Interested parties may contact postiveparent@earthlink . net for more information .

Members can also read blogs written by parenting experts and offer their own opinions and comments . For those sensitive questions that parents may have , there is a mechanism to “ ask an anonymous question” which forwards that anonymous question to bloggers who will address it in future blog posts , also allowing other parents the opportunity to provide ideas and answers to the question .

To join the iParentnetwork , visit http : // www . iparentnetwork . org and sign up online . For problems accessing the site , contact Tech _ support@iparentnetwork . org . To become a member of the Advisory Group , contact iParentnetwork-Advisory-Group@iparentnetwork . org .

iParentnetwork is also co-sponsoring a series of seminars of interest to parents of toddlers to teens to be held at the Mansfield Community Center in September and October . Topics include Parenting in a “ Connected World : Social Networking 101 for Parents , ” “ Bullying , Addressing the Issue from a Parent’s Perspective , ” “ Help for Parents : I Think My Child May Be Using Drugs or Alcohol , ” “ Positive Parenting : Beyond Praise and Punishment , ” “ Understanding Your Teenager” and “ For Parents and Teens , a seminar every new driver and their parents should participate in . ” Seminars are open to anyone , regardless of the town they reside in . See the fall Community Center catalog for more information and to sign up , or call the Community Center at 429-3015 .