Best Apps and Tech Tools for Parents
It is hard to remember a time when ‘Google’ wasn’t just a verb, and when our phones weren’t something like an appendage that is attached to our bodies. Technology has changed how we live in many ways, from how we communicate, how we interact with other people, and even how we parent. There are many benefits that technology has brought, but there are some challenges that this kind of thing brings. Things like FaceTime can help families come together when they don’t live closely, but apps like YouTube can be hard to keep your kids away from, wasting time and creating addiction in young children.
From a day-to-day point of view, technology helps to keep you organized, helps you to save time, and can help to answer many questions (thank you, Alexa). If you want some tools and apps that can help you to parent better, then here are some of the things to look into.
Peanut
Parenthood can be quite isolating at times, especially if you are a new mom or have recently moved to a new area. The Peanut app wants to change that as it is kind of like match-making for moms. It can be a great way to connect with other moms where you live, and can be a way to get out of the house, make friends, and take your children on playdates. Of course, this is only useful if people near you are signed up on it. But as it is free to download, it is worth taking a look.
Family Orbit
If you have older children that are starting to use phones, tablets, and technology for themselves, then using an app that can help you to control what they are doing is a must. Family Orbit, a parental control for Android phones, is an app that does just that. You can track the GPS of your children, as well as monitor their phone usage and screen time, and see who is calling them. If you have teens that are attached to their phones, then it can be a good way to keep up to date with what is going on in their lives.
Waze
If you are driving to a birthday party that isn’t local to you, then it can be quite a journey to get from one place to another, especially with the kids in tow. A navigational app called Waze could help to provide you with the best route to get to where you need to be, as well as the fastest route, as things like closed roads and accidents will be flagged up. It can help all the time, as you taxi around the kids.
Circle by Disney
It can be very easy for kids to get sucked into devices, but gadgets like Circle by Disney can help to manage tech time. Using the app, you can set time limits for all family members, including yourselves, and you can block certain sites through it, and switch off the internet too. So it can be a good way to control how much the family is online, as well as using it to your advantage when needed.
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