15 Apps to Get Mama Ready for the School Year
Source: 15 Apps to Get Mama Ready For the School Year
Kids aren't the only ones gearing up for the new school year. Though most New Year's resolutions are made in January, some mamas use the start of the school year to better organize themselves. One easy way to do so: update your smartphone and tablet with new apps designed to make moms' lives easier. Before the school year starts off in earnest, download a few of these apps and let your phone do the hard work for you!
School A to Z (Free): It's been a long time since Mom and Dad sat on the student side of the classroom. Sure, your kids should be doing their homework themselves, but the reality is they turn to their parents for help. If "new math" has you confused and you can't remember the difference between active and passive voice, School A to Z is here to help. Filled with tutorials and games, the app is a crutch for parents and kids alike!
Cozi (Free): The free Cozi app lets you manage your family calendar by adding appointments, setting reminders, and uploading to-do lists that all family members can see. Cozi works on your iPhone or iPad, Android, BlackBerry, or the web, and your updates automatically sync to all users connected to your account. Cozi can even send emails confirming appointments to any family member's inbox or text them directly. Also keep track of memories and photos in the Cozi family journal.
Meal Planning by Food on the Table (Free): One of the hardest parts of the back-to-school process is getting back on a regular eating schedule. Meal Planning by Food on the Table helps Mom make a weekly meal menu based on sales at the local grocery store. Saving money and eating well has never been quite so easy!
Mom Maps ($3): School's out and you're not sure what to do with the kids? Mom Maps identifies the closest parks, restaurants, playgrounds, and more in 27 metro areas. It's perfect for setting up spontaneous playdates, too!
Clipboard by VolunteerSpot (Free): If you've been assigned (or volunteered) for the thankless job of room parent, don't fret. With Clipboard by VolunteerSpot, you can easily seek out helpers to aid in classroom duties. Have a potluck breakfast planned for the classroom? Add it to the calendar along with the items you need and then blast it to the class. Within minutes you'll have fellow parents signing up to bring in bagels and juice.
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Accuweather (Free): Just knowing it is supposed to snow doesn't provide much help when planning for school the next day. Knowing how much it will snow does! Accuweather's app provides specific info for Mama's own zip code, down to hour-by-hour temperature and precipitation forecasts.
The Snack App (Free): For three years I was in charge of ordering the "healthy snack" for my son's preschool. Every year I struggled to come up with new and exciting ideas that met the healthy and kid-friendly requirements. With The Snack App, hundreds of snacks are sorted by calorie counts and type of craving, so snack helpers can easily pick selections that satisfy schools' requests.
Chore Hero ($3): Chore Hero offers a fun way to organize and track household chores every week, teaching your kids responsibility in a fun way. When they complete chores, they earn points, eventually moving from Chore Newbie to Chore Hero. Assign duties to various people on different days, or let the application pick a person at random.
UpTo - Social Calendar (Free): If parenthood is all about juggling, then working parenthood is about juggling 10 things at once. If you try to keep your work, your kids, and your own schedule going on one calendar, chances are it is pretty packed. It also often means that your colleagues get notices for your kids' doctor's appointments because you were just trying to block out the time. With UpTo - Social Calendar, you can share events with whomever you want, while still blocking time on your calendar so others know you're out. Which means your colleagues can receive a notice that you need to leave early on Thursday, but they don't need to know it is for the school play.
Red Laser (Free): Face it, kids cost a lot of money, and back-to-school shopping adds up - quickly! Red Laser is a price comparison app that allows mamas to scan products' bar codes to see if a better price can be found elsewhere. With the money you'll save, you can even afford to buy the lil ones a treat for being so patient during your shopping trip!
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TeamSnap (Free): You swore you'd never be a soccer mom, and now here you are bringing snacks to the sidelines each week. Help keep your tots' teams under control with TeamSnap, an app that manages your team's roster and schedule. It maps your way to your next game, sends out messages to the team, and even organizes photos you take during the games.
Bank of Mom ($2): When the lil ones ask if they can borrow a dollar here or take an advance on their allowance there, only the most organized moms can keep track of things. The Bank of Mom app does the dirty work, so no one can blame Mom for making a mistake. It even has an interest option so tots can learn how a bank would treat their withdrawals.
Find My iPhone (Free): Between PTA meetings, playdates, teacher conferences, and team practices - not to mention your job - there are plenty of places a mama could lose her phone. Find My Phone does just what the app says - it helps you locate your missing iOS device and protect your data, so you can get right back on schedule as soon as possible.
Pitter-Pad (Free): Kids' feet grow like weeds, and we don't always have time to make it to the shoe store to cover them. Take the guesswork out of online shoe shopping with Pitter-Pad. The interactive iPad app measures infant and toddler feet to secure the right shoe size. Simply place their feet in the foot icon, move the "measure line" down to the longest toe, and wait while the shoe size is calculated.
iReward Chart ($4): Reward charts are great, but the problem is they are usually left at home and mamas need them when out and about. iReward Chart is the most comprehensive mobile reward system and one that both parents and tots will love. Simply add your tots to the system (moms can even upload their lil ones' photos), pick tasks from the suggested list, and watch them work toward their goals. As tasks are completed, simply tap the stars on the chart and the app automatically tallies the rewards for the week. Moms can even set up their own reward chart with "prizes" kids can work toward.
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