Are you a digital mom? According to a recent report by BabyCenter.com, you ought to be.
“Becoming technologically fluent is a must for moms juggling the ever-growing demands of household responsibilities,” said Tina Sharkey, BabyCenter chairman and global president, about the report’s findings.
Today’s moms are turning to technology for three main reasons, the report says: to help handle the family schedule, to manage family health and wellness, and to store and share memories. But not just anything will do. Moms are demanding that those digital tools be easy to use and convenient. Here are some to get you started.
Get organized
Google Calendar is the scheduler of choice in my household. My wife and I sync our calendars – full of work commitments, social events and kids’ activities – so we don’t double-book and know where everyone has to be throughout the week. Google Calendar is ideal for several reasons: it’s easy – to set up, to create and to edit appointments, and to share; it synchronizes with most smartphones, so you can check your schedule on the go; it can be set to email you the day’s agenda, as well as to email or SMS (text) reminders to your phone. The only drawback is that we can’t color code events to differentiate between family members or types of activity.
Get cooking
Need a recipe fast? With Food Network Canada’s BlackBerry application, you can quickly pull up simple yet flavorful recipes from top TV chefs, like my favorite, Michael Smith. Browse recipes seven ways, including “kid-friendly,” “cooking show” and “quick and easy,” bookmark favorite recipes under the “My Recipes” tab, and watch short instructional videos. The design is clean, the navigation is simple to follow and the recipes are easy to read.
Get personal
Keep in touch with relatives and friends across Canada and around the world with Skype, an internet phone and video service that’s free when both caller and called are using the software. Skype is straightforward to install on your PC, and the uncluttered interface makes it easy to manage your contacts. Best of all, the audio is crisp and the video is usually quite good, too.
Get sharing
Almost every mom has a digital camera, according to the BabyCenter report, and one in three don’t leave home without it. That makes for a lot of memories to manage. With online photo service Flickr, you can set up multiple photo galleries and control who gets to see them. You can order prints, photo books and calendars through partner site Snapfish; prices are reasonable and it delivers to Canada.
Get healthy
Little Johnny woke up with a rash on his arm? Head to the Children’s Health Guide at TodaysParent.com, a nifty tool for assessing and treating common children’s ailments. Type the illness or symptom into the search box, search by common categories, or search by letter. Should something happen when you’re away from home, the Mayo Clinic’s new Symptom Checker app (iPhone and iPod Touch only) provides quick access to information about 40 symptoms and how to remedy them.
Get a minute to yourself
When you need some time to relax but want the kids close, pull out the laptop and head over to Treehouse TV. The Treehouse video library has more than 400 episodes and clips of kids’ favorite Treehouse programs. Or, let the kids use their imaginations while listening to one of the dozens of audio stories at Hear a Story from the Toronto Public Library. Most are targeted to the under-five set and are available in English, French, Urdu and more. The stories are well-paced, the words are clearly enunciated and the audio quality is excellent. And don’t forget the slew of child-centric apps when you need those extra two minutes of peace on the go.
Marc Reppin specializes in content, marketing and ebusiness for web and mobile. He is the former general manager of financial web sites CanadianBusiness.com, MoneySense.ca and PROFITguide.com.
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