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Parenting Apps: A Modern Burden
This morning, I found myself inundated with a staggering 15 emails regarding who was responsible for snacks at tonight’s high school soccer game. Yes, you read that correctly—snacks for high school athletes. Along with that, I received about 10 messages informing me of a location change for my middle schooler’s basketball practice.
As if that wasn’t enough, I also had an automated email from a class representative, directing me to create an account on SignUp Genius to volunteer for a teacher’s luncheon. Following that, there were three emails from the school’s learning management system, featuring homework assignments for my fifth grader and a link to check quarterly report cards. And let’s not even get started on the high school grade portal, which requires yet another login.
But wait, there’s more! I was bombarded with updates from “TeamSnap” and “Ringya,” forcing me to sift through responses from 20 other parents in a “reply all” chain, all while being prompted to add my own input. Oh, the joy of joining this endless email thread!
Can we talk about “login fatigue”?
Then I made the mistake of checking my phone. A flood of automated texts awaited me, reminding me of every obligation. Yes, team mom, I understand! Granola bars for the high school soccer team—no nuts. I’ve got it!
And the cherry on top? A text from my son, now in college, requesting laundry money for his university account. Of course, there’s an app for that—because who even uses cash anymore?
Yet, amidst this avalanche of notifications, I feel suffocated by technology. Modern parenting, filled with child management apps and communication platforms, has overtaken my life. I suspect it has done the same for many others. The idea of navigating parenting without these tools feels almost rebellious.
I know this from experience. I once declined to give my email to the baseball team mom at a game, asserting, “I’m overwhelmed with emails. Please contact me another way.” Perhaps a bit harsh, but I was trying to protect my mental space and avoid email-induced rage over the season. “Just give me a printed schedule for snacks, practices, and games. That’s all I need.” Imagine that—a tangible schedule I could add to my planner, proving it’s still possible to keep track of obligations without incessant notifications.
For large families, the chaos multiplies. Each child often has multiple apps for their activities, with each parent receiving the same messages but needing separate logins. My partner and I nearly faced a marital crisis over our inability to recall our academic portal login and the security questions tied to it. An explosive argument over the details of my first car ensued, leaving us unsure whether our child had passed 8th-grade math. What a time to be alive!
How did our parents manage?
How did our parents manage to coordinate our schedules without the technology we rely on today? I can’t recall my mother ever using a wall calendar or planner in the ’80s, yet I never missed a game or practice. Perhaps her mind was less cluttered than mine, free of 50 open tabs, various lists, and endless logins. She simply remembered that I had ballet class on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays—no snacks required.
Today, it seems my children lack a sense of scheduling because they rely entirely on technology to remind them. We have become excessively dependent on reminders and often feel frustrated when our email fails to sync with our calendars. Despite having numerous apps designed to help us stay organized, many of us find ourselves overwhelmed and unable to remember anything.
A Call for Simplicity
So, can we return to good ol’ paper post-it notes for reminders? Perhaps we should revive the traditional day planner and ditch the apps that complicate our lives. Let’s embrace managing our responsibilities with pen and paper—no logins, passwords, or accounts needed.
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In summary, the burden of parenting apps and technology is overwhelming, often leading to “login fatigue” and dependency on reminders. It’s worth considering a shift back to simpler methods of organization to regain our mental clarity and control over family schedules.