Are your kids too busy posting the perfect selfie on Instagram to spend time with the family? Do they always have their phones out at dinner? If these are recurring problems in your family, you might consider setting some cellphone boundaries—but as the old saying goes, “if you can’t beat ’em, join ’em.” That’s right! Technology can help you and your family connect too!
Try out these four apps and features to help your family stay connected:
1. Qustodio
Qustodio free offers great protection for one child’s device. With Qustodio free you can monitor your child’s web use, searches, and application use. Smart web filtering and safe search features can help keep your child safe when they’re browsing, and social activity monitoring can ensure your child is using their social media appropriately. If you’re worried about overuse, Qustodio free also offers time limit controls. If you’re looking for more features, try out Qustodio premium for a 3-day free trial to access app, website, and number safelisting as well as location tracking and more in depth Facebook monitoring.
2. Life360
Life360 allows you to keep tabs on your family through GPS location sharing. This app is great for safety, and allows you to stay connected through its chat feature. You can also enable notifications that update you when a family member has left or returned home. Life360 has several membership options (both free and paid) to help fit your family’s needs. Help keep each other safe and connected with Life360!
3. FamilyWall
FamilyWall is a well-rounded app that covers just about everything a family needs. With GPS tracking and chat ability, you can keep tabs on your loved ones. Scheduling and list functions also help make planning life a little more simple. FamilyWall also makes sharing photos and other memories easy. If you’re looking for an all-in-one family app, FamilyWall is the one for you!
4. Allowance & Chores Bot
With the Allowance & Chores Bot app, you can allot chores and allowances to as many children as you have. Easily assign chores to multiple children, deduct allowance as it’s spent, withhold allowance as punishment, and give rewards for good behavior or grades. If you’re not a fan of currency allowances, there are plenty of pretend allowances you can use like points, smileys, or Federation Credits for you Trekkies out there. Not only does this app help your children get their chores done, but it helps them enjoy the experience a little more.
Nowadays, it’s hard to stay connected with so much happening in our individual lives. Fortunately, technology can help us improve our relationships with our loved ones. Along with these apps and features, consider looking into kid-friendly smartphones from Troomi. These phones will help your child develop good technology habits and give them more time to spend with the family. Troomi also offers several KidSmart™ Apps (including the Life360 app listed above) that your kids can use to help them reach their full potential. With everything from Toca Boca Hair Salon to Google Drive, your child will find what they need to start they’re journey of tech responsibility with Troomi’s safe devices and KidSmart™ Apps.