The Best Smart Tools & How to Use them:

Surviving the 2020-2021 School Year, Part 4

We’re going to break down a few of my favorite resources here, with zero fluff…because all you need here are the details!

1. The Google Keep App.

This is perhaps my favorite, and a fairly recent discovery for me…basically, everything is at your fingertips, like a sticky note that follows you around from device to device! I actually have an Echo Show on the way, and I’m HOPING it will work on that…we shall see! Watch the video below for a quick walk through of how to create and customize a new note, add collaborators, labels/tags, photos, drawings, and even voice recordings!

2. Siri or Google Reminders, Timers, and Alarms.

I hope that you are utilizing these things…especially with the ability to activate them via voice commands without touching anything! “Siri, remind me to turn on the oven when I get home”, can save you from dinner delays, setting study timers can set limits on how much time your child is doing homework…then they can take a break, and you can set a video game timer, or they can just go outside and play for a bit! Think about how long you can tolerate sitting in front of a computer working…and imagine your child having about half, or less, of that attention span. I’m kind of assuming we all are familiar with these tools…but, if you’d like a more in depth discussion or some tutorials here, please let me know!

3. Alexa, or other similar devices/smart assistants.

Well, listen. I joke that Alexa is my bestie…but it’s seriously more true than I care to admit…she’s like my back up brain…all the things I can’t remember, she remembers…all things I don’t want to write down, she keeps up with. All the nagging my children need to complete chores, she does for me. All of the gatthering of the family from different rooms for dinner, she does for me – without screaming at the top of her lungs… I have her programmed to tell my children’s school codes that they use for lunch. We need that little code for a variety of tasks and log ins throughout the year, and so I have found that extremely helpful!

Adding things to a shopping list or calendar, of course, area very basic tasks, but very helpful on the go. You do know that you can use an Alexa app on your iOS device, right? That’s very useful if you prefer apple products, but are as in love with Alexa as I am.

I also have ‘routines’ built into Alexa…a couple of examples:

• I say, ‘Alexa, Good morning,’ and she gives me a pleasant good morning phrase like ‘rise and shine’ that changes daily, tells me the weather, what’s on the calendar for today and tomorrow, and then plays a top Christian music playlist for an hour and a half.
• I say, ‘Alexa, it’s time for school,’ and she tiks of a list of questions for my daughter with built in pauses, and also tells her a joke. Some of the things on that list:
  • Do you have your glasses?
  • Did you get your water bottle?
  • Anything special going on at school today or tomorrow?
  • Do you have your mask?
  • Did you hug your mom?

Always build a little fun into these routines…why? It keeps them from being robotic, makes you and your child actually pay attention, and just MIGHT make them smile and start their day off pleasantly. I also have routines built in for extracurricular activities so that we don’t forget something they need. This allows me to take a more ‘hands off’ approach and my children to take responsibility for their belongings and preparations. There are SO MANY possibilities here!

4. Digital calendars.

This tool, as well, is kind of self explanatiory. Accessible from multiple devices, and with everyone in your family able to add things…it makes a difference. My husband handles his work schedule, I handle the kids school stuff and sports, the kids handle what I ask them to on an age appropriate level. Our calendar, of course, is connected to Alexa so she can make sure we don’t miss anything. In the past, I had used the More Time Moms Calendar, but the digital method is working for us at the moment.

5. A family computer/work area in a central location.

This is kind of like your home’s Grand Central Station. Important supplies should be here, log in instructions (be careful where you store important passwords, of course), forms, basically anything that might be needed at any given time for school, church, sports, doctor visits, etc. Having all of this centrally located simply avoids a lot of questions about ‘where’s this’, ‘what’s that’, ‘how do I…’ – it’s all there…and you can teach your family to fish so that YOU aren’t the ask it all box…

Also, having that computer in a central location allows you to assist your child with their work without having to wander all over the house. This is where they do it…this is where it stays…etc. No more chaos. Well, at least maybe a little LESS chaos?

May your school year be absolutely blessed and be the best it can be. Remember, THE most important tools you can have this year are a great attitude, and lots of grace and patience. Every one is doing their absolute best to make it a great one!

Thanks for reading, and I’ll be back soon with more!

More Posts in this series:

Part One: Surviving the 2020-2021 School Year Overview

Part Two: Creating a Study Environment

Part Three: Save the emails & notes for Later

Much love,

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