The best apps for busy parents

‘So little time, so much to do’, is the catchphrase of most busy parents. For those times when you wish you could clone yourself just to get through until lunchtime, check out these apps for helpful solutions.

Chore Bank

Doing chores to earn money is a good way for kids to start saving and invest time in learning about the value of money. However, it’s easy to forget schedules and lose track of what’s been done. Chore Bank helps encourage children to complete jobs, with a task list and the ability for you to assign a monetary value to each one.They get to tick off a chore when it’s complete and watch their very own savings add up. It’s consistent motivation for them and an easy way for you to stay on top of monitoring their chores, rather than simply doing them yourself.

MealBoard

It’s all well and good to whip up an easy dinner idea at work, until you get home and find out you’re missing the vital ingredients. MealBoard is a virtual cooking assistant, helping you store recipes, create meal plans, generate grocery lists and keep track of what you have at home. The app imports recipes from your favourite websites and lets you add your own, creates meal plan templates, sets up recipe prep notifications and includes a pantry inventory so you can specify expiration dates and restock when needed.

Baby Monitor 3G

For new mums and dads, the Baby Monitor 3G app is an easy way to do a few things at once. The app requires two devices, one of which is with you and the other in your baby’s room. The universal video and audio monitor allows you to hear every noise and see every motion of your precious bundle. You can talk to your baby from another location in the home, but it also offers lullabies for self-soothing.

ABC KIDS iview

How do you keep the kids entertained, when you need a bit of time on your own to get things done? You never quite know what’s going to be on TV, so it’s not always a great option. With the ABC KIDS iview app, you can rest assured they’ll only be watching quality, educational shows. The video on demand app is for preschoolers and it’s advertising free. Kids independently control their own viewing, with favourites automatically appearing for easy operation, however you can regulate sessions by setting a timer.

When freeing up time makes all the difference in a busy day, apps lead the way towards organisation and some much deserved breathing space - to fit play into your work day.