Building Stronger Communities for Parents and Children in Kansas City: The Story Behind KidMatch
Parenting today can feel like walking a tightrope. Balancing work, life, and the never-ending quest to create meaningful connections for your children is no small feat. As a mom of two—my five-year-old son, who was born during the whirlwind of the COVID-19 pandemic, and my 16-month-old daughter—I know these challenges all too well.
Being born and raised in Kansas City, and now raising my own family here, I’ve always felt a deep connection to this community. I’ve seen firsthand how essential it is to have a supportive network, especially during those tough parenting moments when it feels like you’re doing it all alone. That’s why, together with my co-founder Amarachi, I created KidMatch.
KidMatch was born out of our shared frustration as mothers who were struggling to find meaningful connections and playdates for our children. The pandemic only heightened this struggle, making it even harder to balance everything. We realized that many parents in Kansas City, just like us, needed a better way to connect—not just to coordinate playdates but to build lasting, supportive communities.
Let me paint a picture that I’m sure many of you can relate to: planning a playdate often feels like organizing a major event. It starts with a massive group text to my parent friends, with messages flying back and forth all day and night. After what feels like endless coordination, I’m excited to finally have one or two moms who can bring their kids. But then, on the day of the playdate, just as I’m about to head out, my phone starts buzzing. The first message? A friend saying her child is still getting their hair done, and the other one is sick, so she has to cancel. Minutes later, another mom texts that she’s running 30 minutes late—only to cancel altogether. What started as a well-planned playdate quickly dissolves, leaving no kids to play with because of life’s inevitable interruptions and conflicting schedules. This is an all-too-common scenario.
KidMatch was created to solve exactly these kinds of frustrations. We’ve designed a platform that takes the stress out of planning playdates and helps parents connect in a more meaningful and reliable way. Whether you’re a stay-at-home parent, a working professional, or managing a blended family, KidMatch is here to help make your parenting journey a little easier and a lot more connected.
As we prepare to launch our app this Fall, I invite you to join our growing community. We want to hear from you—take a moment to fill out our quick survey, share your thoughts, and let us know what features you’d like to see in KidMatch. Together, we can build a stronger, more connected community for our kids and ourselves.