Mobile Behavior: an Omnicom Group Company

Heather Leister is a stay-at-home mom with four kids. She has a degree in Elementary Education, has taught in public school, and now teaches a small preschool class out of her home. On the side, Heather runs The iPhone Mom, a blog about iPhone applications for moms.

There’s been a lot of chatter over the past few months about moms becoming key technology decision makers in their homes. Most of the stories that I’ve come across make it sound like this is a new phenomena. Is it? In my home my husband is the uncontested go-to tech guy who can work wonders with a wireless router, Xbox, Netflix account and music via a home server. But I’ve always felt like I’ve had equal say when it comes to making technological decisions that affect our family. Especially when it comes to our kids.  Maybe we’re unusual and the news stories are right about this being a new trend, but I tend to think that it’s nothing new to many of us moms.

Along those lines, there’s no doubt the iPhone has become a key tech gadget for  moms. Mine has become an integral tool for managing our family life. It holds my calendar, my contacts, my grocery list, my recipes, my PTO to-do list, my exercise and diet logs. I can access Quicken and my checking account and fess up to a splurge purchase while I’m still sitting in the store’s parking lot. I can check prices in the store against prices on Amazon and find fabric and pizza coupons while I’m out and about. My iPhone gives me access to my email so that I can attempt to stay on top of that chore without having to fire up my PC. I have Internet access and countless apps to help me pass the time at dance lessons and soccer practice. And last but not least, I have entertainment and educational tools available for my children. Reading over all that I’ll admit that I sound like someone with serious dependency issues!

Over this past year I have been trying out and reviewing apps for my website, The iPhone Mom. My children have been my unsung co-reviewers and we’ve seen an evolution of sorts in the apps that are available for children. Apps have gone from being pure entertainment (and a means to keeping kids quiet in lines and waiting rooms) to being truly educational. Today the best apps for children combine both  entertainment and education in a way that keeps kids coming back for more. They are colorful, silly, clever, witty and undoubtedly worthwhile.

I don’t believe that it’s a bad thing to put this type of technology into our children’s hands. (Figuratively of course, you wouldn’t want your iPhone literally in the hands of an 18 month old). Now I’m not ashamed to admit that I have apps on my iPhone for the sole purpose of keeping my five year old distracted while I navigate Costco. But on the other hand, I also have apps that have helped him learn how to read. My ten year old has used apps to gain a better grasp on her multiplication skills and my seven year old has become a better speller through word games.

It sounds like a cliché but I know for a fact that I would be up a creek without a paddle if something happened to my iPhone. And when it comes to my kids I believe that as long as I can monitor and moderate their use I have no problem handing  my it over to my kids. The trouble is often getting it back!

Apps my kids and I use all the time:

Running Log – for tracking those moments I actually have some solitude.
Red Laser - scan barcodes and compare store prices.
Chicktionary – one of my 7 year old's favorites.
Dragon Dictation – gets things out of my brain and into my iPhone without having to type.
WeetWoo! – filtered YouTube for kids. Amazing resource!
PhoneFlicks – Netflix account on my iPhone.
Bounce On – silly fun for my kids.
iChalky – the one my kids go back to again and again.
Oregon Trail – a favorite of my 5th grader.
Kitchen Pro – because math and cooking conversions are really not my thing.
Old MacDonald by Duck Duck Moose – a true classic.
Kid Calc – a math app that can be tailored for all my kids (5,7, & 10).

- Heather Leister