Peanut App Founder Michelle Kennedy Counts Candy Rewards Among Her Parenting Essentials

It’s no secret that it takes a village to raise a child, but cultivating that support system in the first place? It can prove just as daunting as those early days of motherhood. Enter Peanut, a social-networking app for moms founded in 2017 by Michelle Kennedy who, like most of us, found it difficult to make mom friends after the birth of her first child.

Frustrated by the lack of solutions out there and drawing on her experience working for dating apps Badoo and Bumble (as deputy CEO and a board advisor, respectively), she created what’s been dubbed “Tinder for moms” to connect like-minded women with similarly aged children living in close proximity and help foster those crucial relationships IRL. While Peanut has become a global community of more than one million members, Kennedy’s not content simply supporting women who have already given birth: In November, she launched Peanut TTC, a fertility-focused offshoot of the platform that allows those who are trying to conceive to bond over and discuss everything from egg freezing and IVF to miscarriages and secondary infertility.

Not only has Kennedy made it her actual business to help other women find their tribes, the mother of two — to six-year-old Finlay and seven-month-old Nuala — also happens to be cool, smart and incredibly stylish. In other words, she’s the ultimate #momfriendgoals herself. But since she’s based in London and mighty busy, we figured the next best thing would be to pick her brain for her top parenting recommendations, which thankfully don’t all require booking a flight across the pond.

The podcast I’m listening to right now

“I love listening to podcasts daily — they help me soak up all of the information that other women have to offer. A few favorites right now are Mom Brain with Hilaria Baldwin and Daphne Oz. I also love to listen to NPR in the mornings to get world headlines first thing in my day.”

The children’s books our family reads on repeat

Yum Yummy Yuck by Amanda Jane Jones and Zoom! Zoom! by Robert Burleigh. They both have such beautiful and bright illustrations that Finlay and Nuala love.”

The books I’m currently reading myself

“I get most of my recommendations from friends or Instagram. Lisa Taddeo, who wrote Three Women, is a brilliant storyteller. Everyone recommended Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens and I couldn’t put it down. We think a lot about motherhood and the questions that come with it at Peanut, and Like a Mother by Angela Garbes takes a scientific approach — with a dash of humor and compassion — at debunking some of the myths that plague mothers.”

The snacks I always have on hand for the kids

“Veggie and fruit snack pouches — we tend to stick to organic for pouches at our house, and Piccolo is a personal favorite — bags of carrots and hummus, and it never hurt anyone to carry around a little bit of candy for extra-good behavior.”

The beauty product I never leave the house without

“My Tangle Teezer — it’s a small brush that fits perfectly in your bag.”

The apps that make my life as a parent easier

“Other than Peanut, I use Deliveroo — at the end of the day when I’m exhausted, there’s nothing better than pressing a few buttons to have dinner delivered to the house for the family. Also, answering emails throughout the day when I’m in two billion places at once is a lot easier with Gmail pulled up on my phone.”

My favorite parenting-related Instagram accounts to follow

“I love the content that @mothermag, @nytparenting and @mother.ly share — all three accounts are relatable, authentic and inspiring!”

The toys my kids can’t stop playing with

“My six-year-old son loves anything that has to do with trains, so we have a lot of those laying around the house, including this LEGO City Passenger train building kit. He also loves puzzles. They’ll occupy him for hours! My son loves bats so he’s into this bat puzzle.”

The underrated children’s brand I’ve recently discovered

“Maisonette — their clothes are super high-quality and the customer service is unparalleled.”

The clothing brand that helps make up my mom uniform

“Mint Velvet is so posh and timeless. I love their cocoon coat for the winter.”

To get even more parenting recommendations, click here to read about the other stylish moms featured in our Momsessed series.

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