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Community Corner

Mom's Smartphone

Parents should consider having them

The alarm on my cell phone goes off twice a day. It reminds me that my son needs to take his asthma medicine. I receive that chime two hours before ballet, golf or a dentist appointment. I am not sure how I ever survived without my iPhone or how any parent survives without a smartphone.

Convenience

A smartphone can remind you of an appointment, to pay the bills, order dinner and even show you traffic reports. With how crazy our lives can be, a smartphone should be given to parents as they leave the hospital with a newborn.

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I once had a blackberry, which at the time was remarkable. That technology is now old and seemingly useless compared to what new phones on the market can do. There is an app available for nearly everything it seems. Want to look up a recipe for dinner or teach your toddler to spell? Need to GPS track your teenager? No problem.

Top Five Apps For Moms

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1. LoseIt! This app is all about me. I enter the calories I eat and the exercise I have done, and it tracks my calorie consumption and weight loss. My favorite feature is that it connects with my friends and we can see each other’s information for a built in support network.

2. USAA. I can pay my bills, check my account balance, transfer funds, track my spending, file an insurance claim, take pictures for an insurance claim, and track my brokerage account.

3. ABC Letter Tracing. This app is helping my kids learn to trace letters with their fingers which is speeding up reading and writing skills. It’s a sure boredom buster when they need something to do. I love this app on the iPad also.

4. Adaptive Organize. This is the most expensive app I have purchased ($9.99), and it was worth every penny. It organizes my tasks and appointments and tells me how to fit everything in.

5. Facebook. Okay, this is not a “Mom” app, but I am always seeing what everyone is doing, and putting pictures of my kids up for their Dad or our families to see.

I have tons of kids games and activities on my smartphone for everyone in the house. I have to say this saves me a lot of time. Instead of having to go home and sit at the computer, I can take care of things while we are on the move.

Don't Buy It For The Camera

The last reason to buy a smartphone would have to be the camera capabilities. The cameras and video cameras on these things are amazing and do a great job. I catch so many funnier, unique moments and am able to share them instantly. Yes, I am tied to my smartphone, but I know without it, my life with be much less organized and my son would probably be having an asthma attack right now.

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