When Chelsea Kopelman left her job as a brand marketer in 2019, she quickly found out she was “terrible at being bored,” and so were her children. So, for the last three years, they have explored Carmel and surrounding areas looking for kid-friendly activities, events, restaurants and businesses. But taking her small children out could be daunting at times.
“You don’t always know what to expect when you get there, how your kids will act, if it’s a safe space for them to show big emotions, etc.,” she said. “After learning from many outings with my own kids, I realized that if you have the right information before checking out a new activity with your kids as a parent, you feel more confident and excited about sharing these new experiences with your family and therefore more willing to try out some of these local establishments.”
That led Kopelman to launch her blog, “KeepingUpINCarmel,” in July.
“I started ‘KeepingUpINCarmel’ with the goal of generating awareness for these local activities and establishments that are friendly for families and equipping parents with the right information they need to feel confident taking their kids to visit them,” Kopelman said. “If you are looking for real-life information about visiting that specific park, things like, does it have mulch or rubber flooring? Is it safe for toddlers, babies and big kids? Is there good visibility for watching multiple kids at one time? Do you need to pack a change of clothes and a towel for your kids? Answers to those types of questions are what you will find on my blog.”
Kopelman said in her experience, having that type of information ahead of time increases the likelihood parents will try a new adventure and “feel confident that it will be a fun time for both them and their kids.”
KeepingUpINCarmel is managed during any extra time the mom of three has.
“My ‘9-5’ is spent with my kids, and I am so grateful for that opportunity,” she said. “I weave sharing activities on the blog or (Instagram) into our days because we really are out and about at these activities all the time, which makes it easy to share.”
She also works part-time as the marketing lead for a financial services group in Indianapolis and runs her photography business, Chelsea Kopelman Photography.
Kopelman can’t really say how many hours a week she spends on the blog because she said it doesn’t feel like work, and the family is doing the activities anyway.
“Instagram is where I can share real time snippets into what adventures we are up to and connect in real time with my audience,” she said. “The website allows me to share more in-depth content as well as exclusive offerings to only my subscribers.”
Kopelman wants to grow the blog, both on traditional platforms and social media.
“I will keep looking for new ways to make memories as a family in and around Carmel and sharing the ins and outs parents will want to know about trying out these adventures for themselves,” she said. “It’s not always as easy hopping in the car and walking out the door.”
The blog can be found at keepingupincarmel.com.
