The other day I was standing in line waiting to pick my kids up after school when I heard a couple moms complaining behind me about all of the parenting apps out there. You know, apps like Seesaw, Remind, Sports Engine, and more—they were talking mad trash.
“These apps are the wooorst!” one mom said.
“They are!” another mom replied back. “I feel like my phone is constantly dinging.”
I stood stunned. I freaking love those apps. And because God forgot to grant me a filter, I turned around and chimed in. “Waaait a second,” I said. “How else do you remember everything? Personally, I’d be dead without them all.” The moms just kind of nodded and grinned, appeasing me, but I’m sure they found me and my love for all of these parenting apps to be, well, weird.
You see, it wasn’t always this way. When I had one child in preschool and one in kindergarten, I thought these apps were useless. I don’t need those! I mocked. Until that is, I started forgetting things. I’ll never forget one day specifically. Before the kids and I shot out the door to school, I decided to glimpse up at the calendar hanging in our kitchen. “Oh, no!” I yelled. “Aiden, you have snack today!”
Mom fail number one
Luckily, we were a tad early that day {cue pigs flying} and had enough time to slide into the grocery store to pick up some Goldfish. Phew. But then after dropping off my son to elementary school while on our way to my daughter’s preschool, I heard a commercial about St. Patricks’ Day. “Ahh! You’re supposed to dress up in St. Patty’s gear!” I yelled.
Mom fail number two
It gets worse.
I told my daughter that she’d just have to be a few minutes late because we were going to the Dollar Store to get her some clover beads, green hair bows, and hopefully a green t-shirt. The store even opened early for us. I was feeling like a real Super Mom. So, I got my daughter all dolled up in the car—and on-time for school. We waltzed through the halls, holding hands. And then I realized not one other child was wearing green. It was the following day.
Mom fail number three
Yup. Three mom fails all before 9 o’clock.
I had learned my lesson. Now, I download any parenting app suggested by any teacher or coach. I hail and worship them, actually. Because now, I am determined NOT to go through that kind of day ever again.
See, I only have two kids—and keeping just their schedules straight can be a real pain. One will have snack day while the other has an elaborate book report due. One will have a fundraiser while the other will have their choir concert. There are different library days, spelling tests, practice changes, and volunteering activities that fill our calendars. So, in the evenings when I hear a “Ding!” from my phone, I immediately think, “Crap. What did I forget now?” But then after seeing a lovely reminder from a teacher or coach, I’m filled with gratitude because they give me enough time to get something done before the kids need it.
Without these parenting apps, I’d be the mom always forgetting some minor detail that, of course, wouldn’t be minor to my kids. So, I vow to never be the mom who thinks they’re useless—instead, I’ll be the one kissing the ground they figuratively walk on.
