Now that fall is fully operational, my family’s schedule powers along at such a clip that with one wrong move, we’d capsize.
Gymnastics, dance, scouts and music lessons — its hard work being a kid these days, and even harder remembering where everyone is supposed to be at any given moment. But guess what? A Seattle company has created an app for that, and it’s free.
Cozi is a calendar app that every member of the family downloads on their smartphone or tablet. Each person uses the same family password, which lets you have collective access to the calendar. You can add appointments, reoccurring activities and school schedules. Log into your account online at www.cozi.com, and you can print out your calendar, too.
I downloaded the Cozi app on my phone a month ago after I read about it in a magazine. “This sounds too good to be true,” I told my husband. “Now we can have the family calendar with us wherever we go.”
“And it’s free?” he asked me.
“Yup. Plus we can make shared grocery shopping lists. If you want something at Fred Meyer, you can add it to the list so I’ll know.”
It took several days for me to input all of our information into Cozi, but it was easy to navigate. Every family member got their own colored dot. With a click on a name, I could view an individual family member’s schedule. I could email it to them as well, so I didn’t have to nag.
My son couldn’t care less about Cozi and only downloaded it to his iPhone because I made him. But my daughter opens Cozi frequently, and asks me about future events. “What does ‘Merlin gets Sentinel’ mean?” she wanted to know.
Yes, our poodle, Merlin, has his own colored dot, too. I’ll never forget to give him his flea medicine again.
In addition to making shopping lists, Cozi lets you make a list for anything you want. One Saturday morning when my family sat down for pancakes, I handed both kids a customized list of chores. “You’re not safe either,” I told my husband as I gave him the one that said “Honey Do.”
I looked at my own list and gulped. To be ready for another jam-packed week, I needed to be organized.
Fall is only the beginning. We’re cruising toward the holidays at breakneck speed. Cozi helps with seasonal stress, too. I used the app to set up Christmas wish lists for the whole family. The next day I checked in to find my son’s list still empty and my daughter’s complete: “Num Noms, fidget spinner, clothes, candy and a pig.”
Nice try, Sweetheart, but a pet pig is never going to happen — even if you add it to Cozi.
Jennifer Bardsley is author of the books “Genesis Girl” and “Damaged Goods.” Find her online on Instagram @the_ya_gal, on Twitter @jennbardsley or on Facebook as The YA Gal.
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