Paranting is a mag for dads who find themselves ranting

Like many of us Sophia Waterfield found that when she became a parent her interests changed. The glossy magazines she used to savour no longer did it for her. How many working dads have felt the same and realised that rather than Men’s Health or GQ they want content that speaks to their new circumstances? (Lots, because that’s what workingdads.co.uk is for!). So Sophia has set about filling that gap with a new mag just for parents. She explained why and what it’ll offer working dads.

What’s your background and what family have you got?

I’m a working-class single mum with a SEND toddler. I also own a dog called Mr. Chips. We live in a town in the Yorkshire Wolds, though I’ve lived all over England. I’m trained in journalism and have been writing in various industries for 17 years. 

What is Paranting magazine?

Paranting is a glossy magazine for parents by parents. Our mission is to make the attainable aspirational. 

How did you come up with the idea?

Originally, three years ago when I was on a train to London. I was pregnant with my son and I wanted to read some glossies—it’s my favourite thing to do on the train. But there was nothing I could resonate within the magazines, especially fashion and travel-wise. Fast forward to January 2021 and I was having a conversation with a fellow freelance writer. They were telling me how there were no articles that resonated with them as a parent and it gave me the push to create Paranting.

How did you come up with the title?

It’s a mix-up of parenting and ranting. I feel like parents have their own specific rants that non-parents wouldn’t have and it led me to say “having a parant.” 

What sort of features might dads look forward to?

It’s for all parents, including non-binary parents, trans-parents, step-parents, parents who have lost children and foster parents. It’s really important that we include all marginalised voices within our pages—sometimes we won’t always get it right, but we’ll die trying. In our first issue, we cover subjects such as discrimination against breastfeeding mothers, the second wave of Covid-19 in India, antenatal classes through the eyes of a new father, single-sex couples trying to have IVF, turning eco-anxiety into hope, how homeschooling has excluded fathers and more. Our sections include UK, World, Health, Travel, Fashion, Beauty, Sex and relationships and Home and Garden.  

 Why is it important that there are parenting magazines for dads/all parents?

It’s important that parenting magazines are inclusive of all types of parents because each person’s lived experience is different. This isn’t limited to gender, but also whether you’re working or middle class, black or a POC, have a disability or a single parent. Paranting is currently recruiting for its editorial board—it currently has one member—to help us shape each issue of the magazine and ensure we’re not discriminating against anyone or leaving out marginalised voices.  

What are the benefits to parents of picking up and reading a magazine for advice and insight rather than, say, scrolling social media?

There are many benefits to people picking up a magazine and reading it over social media. At times, the Internet can be inaccessible for many—whether it’s digital literacy or unable to read or listen as part of your disability. Parents are also really busy and procrastinate by scrolling through feeds—magazines are a great way to absorb information while relaxing with a cuppa. There are benefits to having a limit on the information we consume. 

For me personally, reading a book or magazine is like meditating—I can switch off from the world outside.

How can people back the project?

Our aim is to be reader-funded. Our first issue is currently on Kickstarter https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/sophiawaterfield/paranting-magazine?ref=6qq0q3. We have several reward bands that include t-shirts, tote bags, frame illustrations and subscriptions. Our magazine is £5 per issue. 

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