I'm a working mother of two young children: one's 8 months old; the other's a 3-year-old. My husband also works full-time, and we don't have family nearby to offer additional support. On some days, it feels as though this is my crowning achievement: managing to feed, clothe, bathe and sustain both persons as well as myself while stringing together coherent sentences and meeting professional deadlines. Before my second child was born I worried, How would I manage life with more than one kid?
Now that I'm in it, I'm still perplexed as to how this happens. Our mornings aren't total chaos per se, but on most days, I shovel in my breakfast while standing over the kitchen counter and performing at least two other tasks. My daughter is usually running between two rooms, vanquishing monsters with her superpowers, while my son squeals from his activity center and smashes pieces of plastic together like a pro wrestling superfan. It's not exactly zen. Sometimes I just need an extra hand, and in many cases that helping hand comes in the form of a smart device.
Smart home devices throughout the household are increasingly becoming the norm. A report from market research firm Grand View Research not only found that the smart home market was valued at $79 billion in 2022, but also that it was expected to increase at a compound annual growth rate of 27% through 2030. That's 27% more than the previous year, every year, a pace Grand View said will be driven by artificial intelligence and more hands-free experiences.
Delegating is the hallmark of any good leader, so I automate my tech as much as possible, and if there's something I can control remotely, even better. Here are a few ways I'm using tech products to help manage the household.
Becoming the mother of two children means I've lost additional brain cells. And alas, it didn't magically grant me the power to be in two places at once. Leaning on technology offers a level of convenience that can't be beat, and it gives me peace of mind, which is priceless for busy parents.
Smart Home