Working moms (and dads, for that matter) usually have a lot of plates to spin. They often multitask and think about what’s going on at home while they work.
To help, the following iPhone and Android apps will help balance work-life balance for any working parent.
1. Family wall
Imagine a huge family planner, filled with your household’s schedules, shifts, plans, appointments, and meal plans. Then imagine all this information stored in a single phone application, which all members of your family can view and modify. That’s exactly what FamilyWall does!
The app is available on iOS and Android, so your family can share their schedules even if you all have different phones. The free version of FamilyWall lets you share to-do lists, calendars, recipes, maps (to locate family members who use the app), messages, and a photo gallery.
The to-do list feature lets you assign items to specific family members. This is great because it stops your kids pretending they didn’t know they had to do a specific task while you were at work.
The Gallery allows you to “dump” images, which are then accessible to all members of your family. You can also take photos and record videos from the app. Family members can save the items you share to their own phone or forward them from the FamilyWall app.
Is the Premium version of FamilyWall worth buying?
The premium version, which costs $4.99 per month or $44.99 per year, also gives you the option to share your schedule and meal planner. If these features are the ones you really want, then it’s worth subscribing. However, you can probably use calendar and to-do list features to share the same information.
To download: Family Wall for Android | iOS (free, subscription available)
2. Life360
Would you like to receive an alert when your children arrive and leave school, home or their friends’ house? Life360 makes it possible. The app is available on iOS and Android, so even if your kids use a different platform, you can still track yourself while you’re at work (and whenever you feel the need).
The application works both ways; all registered users can also see your location. You can add regular locations and set up an alert so you know when a family member is within a set distance of that location (ranging from 250ft to 10,560ft). This is great if you want to make sure your child doesn’t leave the park without you, for example.
You can add other friends or family members to your circle, as well as create multiple circles. So you could have one for your immediate family and another to help you find your friends using GPS.
Is the Premium version of Life360 worth it?
The premium version lets you get driver reports, including alerting you if someone around you is driving aggressively, accelerating quickly, or accelerating. That’s great if your kids just got a driver’s license. Life360’s premium plan also gives you an extended history, so you can see where circle members have been in the last 30 days.
A premium upgrade costs between $2.99 and $9.99 per month, depending on the features you want to add. If your kids are driving, it’s worth considering, because the peace of mind the driver’s report gives you is pretty amazing.
To download: Life360: Find family and friends for Android | iOS (free, subscription available)
3. Mamava
One of the hardest parts of returning to work after maternity leave is working out the logistics of breastfeeding or expressing milk. Mamava allows you to search in advance to find lactation places.
If you know a breastfeeding-friendly place, you can add it to the Mamava database to help other moms. If you’re worried about pumping during a business trip, this app can help you find a place (not an airport) to pump comfortably and hygienically. Mamava also clearly violates breastfeeding laws in every state.
In addition to helping moms find lactation spaces, the app has a “mama life” section, which is full of great resources. These include white noise sound to help soothe your baby to sleep. White noise can be a game-changer for many babies, especially right before an important conference call if you’re working from home.
The Mamava app has lots of helpful tips for breastfeeding and pumping as a working mom, so it’s worth recommending to new mom friends or co-workers who are getting ready to go back to work. The app is completely free on iOS and Android.
To download: Mamava for Android | iOS (Free)
4. 23 shots
There always seems to be a family member who complains that they don’t see you and your children enough. If you don’t like sharing your kids’ news on social media, 23snaps is a great alternative. Once registered, you can invite others to join 23snaps. After joining, they can use the app to follow you like other social media platforms. Alternatively, they can choose to have the photos you share sent directly to their inbox.
It’s great for older family members who can handle email but aren’t savvy enough to handle social media or smartphones. Only having to download the photo or status update once and then send it to all your contacts makes it a great app for working moms. Give it a try if you don’t have a lot of free time to schedule tours or arrange video calls.
Is the Premium version of 23snaps worth buying?
23snaps Premium lets you download longer videos, as well as offering HD quality images and home movie downloads. So if you want to pass on memories that your contacts can print or watch in high resolution, it’s worth considering. Subscriptions start at $3.99 per month and the app is available on iOS and Android, so you can share memories no matter what smartphone users have.
To download: 23Snaps for Android | iOS (free, subscription available)
Awesome Android and iPhone Apps for Busy Moms
Most people will agree that most mothers are busy. No matter how many items you’ve checked off your list, new tasks seem to pop up. Luckily, there are plenty of tips and ideas to help moms use their time more efficiently, and plenty of apps to help. Those listed above are a great starting point.
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