Need a suggestion on where to take your 3-year-old on a rainy Sunday? Need it now, because the little darling is toddling toward the cat's litter box with shovel in hand? Gretchen Menzies, creator of www.essentialmom.com, has got you covered. The Bedford mother of two, ages 3 and 6, and former social worker, has designed her website as a clearinghouse of parenting information. You'll find reviews of kid-friendly restaurants, events, classes, shops, and leads on everything from babysitters to birthday-party venues. "The website is based on my own experiences," says Menzies, whose restaurant reviews lend as much weight to child-friendly distractions ("There are no toys here...but they do have a huge television which plays cartoons," reads one example) as to cuisine. In addition to providing help for the harried parent, the website has been a boon to mothers with baby businesses. "There are a lot of mom-based businesses that can't afford to advertise in other mediums," says Menzies. "When your business is playing guitar for kids' parties, you're not going to be buying a full page in a magazine." And while Menzies still writes most of the website's content herself, the website has become a, well, growing business. "In some ways, I'm the last person who ought to be doing this," she marvels. "I'm not the kind of parent who throws over-the-top birthday parties for my kids." Thank goodness she knows where to look for help.