Life with kids big or small can be crazy and chaotic, but there are plenty of ways to stay on point and organized. Don’t feel like being forgetful has to be a part of being a parent. There are plenty of ways to stay organized and on top of everything without being superhuman. In today’s modern world, there are so many apps that can help you with all of your needs from creating safe passwords to sharing calendars. Check out these 6 apps tech-savvy parents (and those who want to be) can’t live without.
A Note Keeping App: Google Keep
We all write notes to remember things, but it’s tiring to have notes cluttering up your house. Personally, my worst enemy is the shopping list. My husband and I never seem to think of things to add to a grocery list when we’re together, or near the physical list for that matter. That’s when we decided to try Google Keep.
I love that I can add something to the list from anywhere.
I was extremely skeptical of using an app to keep grocery lists as well as things like the kids’ Christmas lists. I was delightfully surprised though! I love that I can add something to the list from anywhere. The best part though is never leaving my list at home when I go shopping, meaning no more guessing at what I needed when I get there.
Another Option
Don’t have a Gmail account or aren’t a big fan of Google? Try Evernote, which has both free and paid options. It offers similar functionality and shareability without needing Gmail.
Google Calendar: A Shareable Calendar
Okay well, it doesn’t have to be Google Calendar, but it does have to be a calendar that you can share with close family and friends. Having an app on your phone and/or tablet, where you can log appointments, school events and other things to remember like when homework is due, means you won’t miss vital events. The ability to share means your significant other and anyone else who needs to know about the event will know about it AND be reminded of it.
Google Calendar’s ability to have multiple calendars gives you endless possibilities. You can put your bills on a calendar and can even have separate calendars for each child. I have to admit my calendar is full of “event” which really just means anything I can’t afford to forget. It wouldn’t be unusual to see things on my calendar like “call doctor” or “buy a gift.”
Have an iPhone?
If you’re an iPhone user, it’s my understanding that Google Calendar can be a bit glitchy for some models. However, there are other options out there. I haven’t used them personally, but The Verge recommends Google Calendar and Fantastical 2 as the top calendar apps.
Your Math Homework Helper: Photomath
I don’t know if your house is anything like mine but math homework causes chaos. Requests for help degrade quickly into screaming and yelling and a lot of arguing. Needless to say, it’s not pleasant. I would say I dread being asked to help with homework. I’m not bad at it, but I don’t always remember how to do it so it involves a little bit of research. However, an enraged teenager certainly makes coherent thought impossible.
Photomath has a couple of options. If you scan the problem, it will tell you what the answer is. It will also give you step-by-step instructions on how to solve the problem you’ve scanned. Besides this, you can edit the problems you’ve scanned if it’s interpreted incorrectly or if you’d like to change part of it for some reason. It does a wide range of math, so it’s useful for a diverse set of age groups. The best part is that they’re still adding new functionalities so if something isn’t there now, it may be added soon.
Grammarly: Your Personal Grammar Police
Okay, I admit it, grammar is important to me. It’s not just about grammar, though. Sending professional emails, writing coherent documents, and generally making sure everything I write is up to par is imperative to me. Grammarly makes it possible for me to communicate effectively no matter what I’m doing. It can be used via Grammarly.com, through the Chrome extension, added to Microsoft Word, or added to Windows itself. Sadly, there isn’t an app for mobile yet, but it’s still an app I can’t live without.
Dropbox: File and Image Sharing
If you’re like me, you spend lots of time sharing files and docs. I like Google Drive, but some people can’t use it when they’re at work. Sharing access to a file without having someone log in is also a plus. Not everyone uses Gmail, and that makes it a bit harder to share via Drive. Dropbox is a fantastic way to share what you need with anyone.
Dropbox lets you store documents, files, and images. You can share a file with someone who doesn’t have Dropbox easily. It’s also a way to be able to work together as a group on a particular project and keep it in a centralized place. It has both desktop and phone apps and will sync to all of your devices, so you can always have the most up-to-date version of what you need.
LastPass: Never Forget a Password Again
On your phone, on your tablet or computer, password management is a hassle. Writing passwords down is a security risk AND you’ll have to carry the list with you wherever you go. LastPass keeps your passwords safe, but it does a lot more than that. It’s portable, it generates passwords for you, and it allows you to share passwords with others. It also houses notes in a secure space and will save form-fill information to grant easy filling later.
In addition to those great features, LastPass has bookmarklets, one-time passwords, and credit monitoring. It’s a freemium app, so a variety of options are free, but some only have paid options. There’s a family version that will make bill paying, online streaming, and online ordering easy for everyone in the family.
I know these are just six apps, but I think they cover the most important areas of everyday life. There are tons of helpful apps for everything you do, so if you feel like you need help with a particular task or aspect of life, start looking, and you might find something just right for you!
What apps do you use? What apps would you love someone to develop? Tell us in the comments.
