I personally sum up parenting tips into two common phrases:
“It takes a village” and “Work smarter, not harder.”
Previously I shared some common mom hacks that I use. Since then, we have added one artificially intelligent (AI) member to our family: Alexa.
I want to acknowledge that we are in the early stages of navigating AI and virtual assistants and the unknown can be intimidating. But, don’t be afraid to explore new things. Adding Alexa to your “village” is one easier way to work smarter, not harder for your family.
Alexa, the virtual assistant developed by Amazon, can be a game-changer for busy families looking to streamline their daily tasks and create structured routines for their families. Below, I share some ways our family has implemented a virtual assistant into our routines.
Morning Routines
Alexa is programmed to wake the family up with gentle alarms and personal wake-up routines. Each person has a different “wake-up” song which we often rotate as our musical taste evolves. Then, in the kitchen, we have a “bus song” set up to serve as the time our kids need to have their coats and backpacks on and start heading out the door to walk to their school bus stop.
We also use Alexa to brief us on weather updates. You can add news headlines and important tasks for the day ahead to your startup routine.
Mealtime Management
We don’t use Alexa to shop, but many families do. You can plan meals and create a shopping list using voice commands. If you run out of something, have Alexa add it to your grocery list right away. Use Alexa to set named timers and reminders for cookie and prepping meals. At Easter, I had three timers going for items that were in the oven at the same time! I have also heard you can enable skills through Food Network or AllRecipes to access recipes for hands-free cooking.
Chores and Homework
We programmed our son’s Alexa to greet him when he enters the room and ask him prompts like, “Have you cleaned your room today?”
You can also set designated quiet or homework times and use Alexa to set timers. You can enable educational skills and quizzes to supplement learning and make studying more engaging.
Bedtime
We have a bedtime song programmed to go off at the same time each night. Honestly, this helps us parents more than the kiddos. You can also create personalized routines that involve your typical night-time routine of teeth brushing and reading a book.
Our Alexa also shuts off certain lights at bedtime to signal it is time for bed.
Staying Connected
In general, we use Alexa most for making announcements that supper is ready, or asking someone to come help with a task. We host family meetings, have dance parties, and
Pro tip: You can also use Alexa to play some light-hearted pranks on each other. You can set the system to play a certain song or do a certain prompt at the sound of water running, clapping, etc. This is where you can get creative! For example, you can set Alexa to play “Don’t Go Chasing Waterfalls” by TLC at the sound of water running.
We also use Alexa to make announcements that supper is ready or ask someone to come help with a task. We host family meetings, have dance parties, and ask random questions. We even have a Shaq voice-enabled that tells jokes about Charles Barkley.
Overall, adding this virtual assistant component to our lives has taken the burden of some tasks off our mental load and enabled our family to be more connected and structured. We are all developing better routines as a result.
