Recess: Buy & Sell Baby and Kids Stuff
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Parenting in New York is a contact sport. It requires incredible feats of strength and endurance to do all the things - buy the gear, organize child care, juggle a job as a working parent, all while trying to maintain your sanity. For years, Facebook parenting groups were the place people went to in order to get advice. But as Facebook becomes less of a social network and more of an entertainment platform, a new kind of community is taking shape: one built specifically for parents.
We're comparing Facebook parenting groups with the Recess parenting app to see which one offers the network and advice parents really need.
Facebook parenting groups are everywhere. Some of the most popular and well-known groups in the city are Moms of the Upper East Side and Moms Helping Moms NYC. During COVID, these groups were a lifeline for communities eager to get information. But they quickly spiraled out of control, experiencing many of the same problems that have made Facebook an increasingly unattractive place to connect: bullying, toxicity, SPAM, bots, trolls and other personal attacks against parents. Things got so out of control in the Moms of the Upper East Side group that the New York Times wrote an expose about all the abusive behavior.
Reddit threads are full of stories about misinformation, drama, and SPAM. One user shared:
"All but one group that I've joined has been the most toxic thing I've ever seen. From moms shaming other moms for formula feeding or vaccinating their children, to making actual posts about them to call them out for their parenting style, I have seen it all since having my LO in June. I don't feel safe in these groups anymore."
— u/Rockincos on Reddit
Others point to the emotional exhaustion of being bombarded by unhelpful advice:
"I cried myself to sleep over stuff said in breast-feeding groups. then one of the groups I thought was safe told me when I said that I was really struggling to make sure to not give up because it was so worth it. Not what you tell a woman who feels sick she can barely take care of herself and her child. Needless to say I stop breast-feeding and baby girl are doing great and we left all of the groups."
— u/SnugglieJellyfish on Reddit
While Facebook was once the go-to place for parenting advice, it's become clear that Facebook is more focused on developing short-form video experiences and fewer experiences that help parents connect.
Recess is an online community designed exclusively for parents, focused on curated content and experiences designed for busy parents. The app looks and feels like a much simpler and cleaner version of Facebook, which makes sense because both of the founders, Swati Vauthrin and Ethan Arpi, worked at Instagram.
The app focuses on three key things that all parents need:
• Local advice - Get recommendations from parents in your neighborhood • Verified baby gear reselling - Safe marketplace for baby essentials • Safe and supportive community - Moderated discussions without toxicity
The app has glowing reviews in the app store:
"Recess is an incredible resource for parents! This supportive community serves as a knowledge base and sounding board for all kinds of questions—whether it's about teething, childcare, education, or recreation."
— Lisa Stuppler
"Goldmine for gently-used baby gear at amazing prices, plus the safety measures and parent community build confidence."
— tbolende
"I like not being on Facebook and this is a nice clean app that provides a lot of really useful guidance and tips."
— oldandbland1982
"The interface is intuitive, and the advice feels personalized, like having a parenting expert in your pocket."
— Fango Jeff
When comparing marketplace features, Facebook and Recess take very different approaches. Facebook Marketplace benefits from its massive scale and familiarity, but this openness can come at a cost. Because listings are largely unmoderated, parents often encounter scams, ghost sellers, or confusing interactions, especially in high-demand categories like baby gear. In contrast, Recess offers a more curated and parent-focused experience. The platform verifies both buyers and sellers to help reduce fraud, and its marketplace is organized by neighborhood and ZIP code to make local exchanges easier and more relevant.
"The marketplace offers a convenient way to find or sell gently used essentials…a true gem in the parenting space."
— Lisa Stuppler
Recess also streamlines the selling process with an AI-powered tool that can create a product listing in under 25 seconds, making it fast and simple for busy parents. As the video above shows, it works by using computer vision to identify the brand and product, write a description of the condition and recommend a competitive price based on market dynamics. If a parent wants to change anything that Recess, recommends, it's super easy to do so.
While Facebook offers reach, Recess focuses on trust, ease, and community support.
| Feature | Facebook Groups | Recess App | |---------|-----------------|------------| | Personalized Tips | ❌ None | ✅ Daily tips and product recommendations | | Trust & Safety | ❌ Unverified, scam risk | ✅ Authenticated sellers | | Marketplace | ❌ High fraud risk | ✅ Verified sellers | | Ease of Use | ❌ Cluttered UX | ✅ Clean, mobile-first | | Community Quality | ❓ Varies dramatically | ✅ Moderated & helpful | | Advice Reliability | ❓ Mixed quality | ✅ Parent-tested advice | | Content Moderation | ❓ Depends on admins | ✅ Active community management | | Mobile Experience | ❌ Clunky interface | ✅ Designed for mobile |
If you're already overwhelmed, do you really need to sift through drama, trolls, and spam? Facebook parenting groups might be where it started, but Recess feels like the future of parent communities—one built with intention, safety, and genuine support in mind.
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