You’ve done it! You’ve successfully prepared your kiddos for the new school year. Check marks have been married to each item on the supply list, new shoes are lined up at the door and tags have been ripped off of all those new duds.
Moms need playtime, too
You’ll dig these online games while waiting for soccer practice
to end, calming doc waiting room restlessness or just indulging a
few stolen moments locked in your bathroom sanctuary:
Words With Friends
After watching my husband play this virtual scrabble game with
random Facebook buddies, I had to get my word play on as well. It’s
good for the brain and way more impressive than Angry Birds.
WordsWithFriends.com
Line Rider
My kids introduced me to this game where you draw daring paths
for a sled-riding stick figure to travel across, hoping he doesn’t
buy it along the way. I dare you not to yelp out loud as you watch
him go.
If your appy and you know it…
It’s definitely the age of the app. Here are a few must-have
apps recommended by my best digital mom pals.
Flashlight: When you find yourself searching
for anything in the dark.
airhorn! Sometimes you just NEED to get their
attention.
izengarden: Before you go all ballistic in the
carpool line, spend some time raking the sand.
igiftthanks: If you are as lame at remembering
to send prompt thank yous as I am, or you frequently forget which
aunt got Joey that new Nerf Gun.
itriage: When you are looking for basic first
aid advice
Kids In Mind: When you need to know how many
swear words or violent acts are in a movie your kids are begging to
see.
mixology: After a long day with the offspring.
Just sayin’.
Have an app you can’t live without? Share it below.
Now it’s your turn. Here are a few online finds to help you manage your homework, too.
Plum District
Move over Groupon, Mama’s got a brand new deal. Unlike some other more general bargain-finder sites, PlumDistrict.com is a daily deal site geared specifically towards smart, savvy moms. Each day, Plum District sends members a deal that’s customized to them. Everything from spa treatments and restaurants to family outings and kids’ activities.
Social Goodies
SocialGoodies.com aims to wrap good deals and good deeds into one happy little package by offering daily deals from top brands at up to 70 percent off, and then donating 20 percent of every purchase directly to charity. It features three well-known national charities each month for its customers to select with each daily deal purchased. Makes shopping a whole lot less of a guilty pleasure and it’s superb for last-minute gifts.
This Life
Every September I vow that I will organize my pics and vids scattered across a multitude of digital platforms. Between Facebook, Twitter, the photo-sharing sites and my cell phone, I have hundreds of photos and videos needing a permanent home. That’s why I’m digging This Life.
ThisLife.com automagically pulls all of the content from your devices into a special “magic box,” enhances and stabilizes it and then creates an extraordinary visual timeline that is saved on “the cloud” forever. Brilliant. Choose from several payment options depending on how much content you need to store.
Remember all those bulletin boards filled with photos of things you loved during your teen years? Pinterest.com takes you back there with a virtual pinboard that allows you to create boards for things like recipes, decorating ideas, kid stuff, art, etc. You fill them with the inspiring things you find on the Web. You can also follow other people’s boards and “steal” images from them, as well. And each picture on your board comes with the link of exactly where to find it online.
Zaarly
Zaarly.com is like eBay for your nagging chores or needed items. Whether you’re in the market for a gently used iPad, someone to clean out your gutters or a personal assistant, Zaarly helps you nab what you need-for what you want to pay. Post what you’re looking for, add a “bid” for the job or item, and Zaarly hooks you up with people willing to take you up on your offer.
