Financial education that shapes the future
We're building Parent to transform how families teach children about credit responsibility through real experiences, not lectures.
Our Story
How a simple statement at a toy store turned into a mission to change financial education.
The Credit Card Moment
"Just use your credit card, Dad."
Five words from a 7-year-old that revealed a fundamental gap in how we teach children about money. It was that moment in a toy store that sparked the idea for Parent.
When children see us use credit cards, they don't see the bills that come later. They don't understand the work required to pay off those purchases. To them, credit cards seem like magical solutions to get whatever you want.
This disconnect leads to generations of young adults who encounter credit for the first time with no practical experience, often making costly mistakes that follow them for years.
We're not just building another fintech product. We're creating a tool for parents to simulate real credit experiences in a safe environment, where the lessons stick because the consequences are real but the stakes are appropriate.
Parent was founded in 2024 with a clear mission: to transform how families teach financial responsibility by creating authentic credit card experiences for kids within the safety of parental oversight.
Our Values
The principles that guide everything we do
Reality Over Gamification
We believe in real-world experiences over cartoon characters and digital badges. Learning happens when consequences are tangible.
Family Connection
Financial education happens through conversation. Our platform encourages meaningful discussions between parents and children about money.
Safe Environment for Mistakes
Mistakes are powerful teachers when the lessons don't come with lasting consequences. We create a protected space for financial learning.
Long-term Thinking
We're not focused on quick fixes or short-term engagement. We measure success by the confidence with which children enter adulthood.
Practical Over Abstract
Interest rates, credit utilization, and repayment terms should be experienced, not just explained in textbooks.
Moments That Matter
The first credit card experience shapes financial habits for life. We believe it's too important to outsource to a bank.
Our Journey
From concept to reality
The Toy Store Epiphany
The idea for Parent was born when founder Charles Polanco's 7-year-old son suggested he "just use his credit card" to buy a toy, revealing a fundamental misunderstanding about how credit works.
First Prototype
Development began on the first prototype of the Parent platform, with a focus on creating a simple system for credit requests, approvals, and task-based repayment.
Beta Testing
The prototype was tested with 50 families across the United States, gathering valuable feedback on the user experience, educational impact, and feature priorities.
Official Launch
Parent launched to the public, offering families a new way to teach credit responsibility through practical experience rather than theory.
Growing Community
Today, Parent is helping thousands of families create meaningful financial education experiences, with plans to expand our offerings to reach even more children where they are in their financial journey.
Our Impact
The difference we're making together
Our Team
The people behind Parent
Charles Polanco
AI and financial services executive and father of one who founded Parent after seeing firsthand how children misunderstand credit.
Prima Polanco
Educational technology expert with a passion for creating products that make complex concepts accessible to children.
Join us in reshaping financial education
Start teaching credit responsibility in a way that actually works.
Get Started Today