Imagine moving to Flagstaff around Christmas time, with no friends to offer school advice and no one to recommend a pediatrician, much less a listing of after-school activities for your kids to participate in.

That's what happened to our family. Last winter, I made dozens of long-distance phone calls to Flagstaff schools trying to get a feeling for where I wanted my children to attend school. Along the way, someone I spoke to pointed me to a Web site called FlagParents.com. I got on my computer, which was surrounded by moving boxes, and checked out the Web site.

I needed to check out the schools. I wanted information about the school locations, the number of students there, the background on the teachers and principals, if possible. I also wanted information about local activities for my girls, libraries and after school programs. I found the information I needed on the Web site.

The creator of the Web site should know what parents want -- after all, she is a parent.

"As a busy mom, I kept thinking that it would be great to have all of the information parents are looking for located in a single Web site," said Barbara Jenkins.

Jenkins was a computer systems analyst for a number of years, so building and maintaining a Web site seemed like a natural transition for her.

"I want to provide parents with a comprehensive, one-stop resource that is easy to navigate. Lots of parents tell me that they love how easy it is to find the information that they are looking for and that they have learned about many community resources that they were not aware of," she said.

The Web site has links to a number of businesses that provide services or products for children. A listing in the Web site is free, but some businesses choose to pay a nominal fee for an enhanced listing. Among other things there is information on homeschooling groups; doctors; dentists; midwives, party entertainment groups and parenting resources. There is also a family-oriented events calendar and kid-related classified section.

Jenkins said she has received a lot of positive feedback from parents, teachers and business owners about her Web site.

She said if you don't find what you're looking for on FlagParents.com, you'll get links to other community sites that may answer your questions.

And, if you're like our family, reviewing the Web site may help you feel more comfortable about your decision to move to Flagstaff, and possibly help you choose a school and activities for your children.

Nancy R. Harrison can be reached at nharrison@azdailysun.com or 556-2250