This is a guest post!
Sometimes you feel like you need eight hands. The kids are craving for your attention and you have to take care about the house at the same time. The dinner is also waiting you to prepare it. Sounds familiar?
I can’t promise you wonders but at least some of this burden can be reduced. There are software apps and tools, browser extensions and mobile apps that can free up a bit of your time. Some will help you organize and not forget important things about your kids, other will help you prevent them from the risks online, and other tools will help you educate or entertain them.
I have collected 10 such apps, tools, and browser extensions for you. These are the ones I like most. And they are all free. So here you go:
CraftFinder connects you to FamilyFun’s library to find ideas for crafts. The crafts can be searched by appropriate kids age, time that each task takes, and occasions (like Easter, Mother day and so on). The app is good although it definitely needs more craft ideas to be added.
Out of Milk Shopping List for Android devices. If trying to remember everything you have to shop for your kids is hard, install this free app on your Android phone and take it with you when going to the store. It also has a pantry list and to-do list all inside.
Due Date Calculator. Planning for another child? This little web-based tool will help you figure out the best dates for conception. And if you are also a mom-blogger, you may want to add the free WordPress plugin to your blog so other moms can check their due dates right there.
Zefty: are your kids going into teen-age soon? It’s time to help them learn more about money and its management. This free web application lets you set up virtual accounts for them, deposit allowances, set limits. This is really unique app built by a single developer, a father of four. I’m sure the need of this app came from his personal experience!
Child Growth Chart Calculator is a little tool showing you how your kids grow compared to others on their age. Don’t get obsessed if your child doesn’t match the averages. If you think the kid growth is very much out of range, consult your doctor.
Cozi goes even further than Out of The Milk app in organizing your family life. In addition to shopping and to-do lists, it has shared family calendar and journal. The app is web based which means you access it through a regular browser from anywhere. There are also free mobile apps for Iphone, Android and BlackBerry.
Name Culture! for Android Devices is a little app that helps you choosing the name of your future baby. Yes, I know your parents want to use their names but this app gives you search by meaning and origin which sometimes can be better way to choose a name than listening to your dad. And this way you may just avoid having arguments with your mother in law too.
Simple Profanity Filter for Google Chrome. Hopefully you know, the emerging Google’s browser allows you to install extensions and apps which enhance the way you surf the web. If your kids already surf themselves this little extension will take care to reduce the profanity that can be found so easily online. You can configure yourself which words to be filtered and replaced with stars.
MinorMonitor is in the same category of “protecting” apps. It goes into deeper waters – protecting your children on Facebook. MinorMonitor will help you monitor possible drug use, bullying, photos and videos, over-age friends and so on. It’s kind of a spying, I know, but your really need to take care for these things – at least at some reasonable level.
BabyConnect is a large applications tracking a lot of things about your baby. You can keep track of feeding, nursing, diapers, sleep, activities… The web based application (accessible through a browser) is free while the mobile apps for iPhone, iPad and Android devices costs $4.99 each. There’s a tremendous work put into it, it’s no surprise BabyConnect got quite a few web awards.
I’m sure being a mother is great but I’m also sure it’s not easy. Fortunately there are developers and companies who put a lot of work into creating great apps that can help you with this. Use them – very often you don’t even need to pay a penny for that. And we, the developers, are happy when we can help.
Bob develops various free software like the due date calculator listed above. You may want to try more of his free calculators here.
