This post is in partnership with Huawei and written by Jen Rattie.
As our kids have grown older, managing their schedules plus our own has been challenging for my husband and I. We have tried many ways to organize all our activities – post-it notes, wall calendars and even a family organizer binder.
None of them have worked. My kids are not great at remembering to write things down or give me papers from their teachers. Since we have evolved into a tech driven family my husband and I decided to embrace this tech age and have one dedicated tablet for the family.
The kids are on the device anyway. Why not utilize it? Since they are of the new tech generation their brains are hardwired to using a device for everything. It has made my life so much easier! They actually remember to leave me notes and we have a synched calendar that they can update for me.
I have also been using it for all my work stuff since most of it is online. If I don’t feel like pulling out my computer to check on work deadlines, etc. I just grab the tablet and my calendar is right there. The fact that the tablet we have chosen to use as our hub is Google driven is HUGE.
None of the other tablets we have had before this have worked this well and has been able to keep all our information in one place. The kids also use Google at school for all their classes, so I have all their information from their teachers right on the tablet. No more stacks of papers that get lost!
Ways to use a tablet as a family hub:
1. Use one dedicated email for all sports activities and school communication and synch it to one tablet. That way the entire family can check the email and see communication from teachers or activity directors.
2. Download a cloud based calendar like Google Calendar. This way any of your family members can update the calendar on the go from their other devices and it will be available on your tablet at home to view.
3. Choose an Android run tablet like the Huawei MediaPad M3 Lite. An Android operating system allows you to utilize notes, Google Drive, Google Play, Google Calendar and many other apps that integrate seamlessly and allow maximum organization of your life.
4. Keep it in a central location. We keep ours on a stand in the kitchen since that is the room most of our life centers around. (Android run tablets have an awesome little green blinky light that tells you when you have notifications and keeping it in an area that everyone will see it means no more missing important things!) Make it a rule that when a family member is done using it they must return it to its dedicated spot.
5. Use lifestyle apps to keep all your info in one place! We sync our lifestyle apps on our Huawei MediaPad so we can add things like recipes and documents when we are away from home. It keeps all our information safe and it’s backed up in one central location. My husband and I used to rely on emailing things to each other. It always ended with one of us accidentally deleting and email, forgetting to email the information, etc.
It might sound redundant if you already have many of these things separately, but it really helps to have one family shared account and tablet. It keeps my work separate from family stuff and I have found it keeps the chaos at bay.
Why we chose the Huawei MediaPad M3 Lite as our family hub tablet:
To successfully aid in managing your family life a tablet needs to be fast, have adequate storage for all the apps you need plus have a great, easy to use display. Fantastic speakers and a decent camera is also a bonus.
We have found that Huawei’s next generation MediaPad tablet deliver long-lasting power and performance. MediaPads are also Energy Star® certified. I try to buy as many Energy Star® certified products as I can to reduce our footprint.
I love the ergonomically sleek designs; the devices have a bit of a curve to them so the MediaPad fits perfectly in your hand and you don’t get the fatigue in your hand if you use it for an extended amount of time.
The MediaPads deliver an unprecedented sound experience with Harman Kardon audio system. Watching Netflix, movies and listening to music has been brought to a new level. The sound is clear and doesn’t have that tinny reverb that most of our other devices have.
Not to mention the IPS HD Display brings consumers’ watching experience fantastic and I am grateful for the special low-light and eye protection modes. This prevents eye strain and reduces interference with natural sleep patterns. My 11-year-old is affected by this, so I appreciate any way I can prevent her screen time interfering with her sleep. They also have a kid’s nook where I can limit her time and access to certain apps that I don’t want her accessing.
We have also noticed a huge difference in Huawei’s Smart Power Saving 5.0 technology and a 6600 mAh battery. It has ensured optimized power usage for extended use. There is nothing worse than being halfway through a movie and have your device die. Our family has noticed that our MediaPad lasts a lot longer than previous tablets we have used.
Since I am in the media/entertainment business the fact that Huawei is endorsed and followed by notable celebrities from the runway to the red carpet, including Gal Gadot, Henry Cavill, Nina Garcia, Karlie Kloss, Brooklyn Beckham and Scarlett Johansson was a big seller for me.
Lastly, we chose and trusted our family life to the MediaPad because Huawei develops some of the most stylish and high performing smartphones, laptops, wearables and tablets. This is accomplished by partnering with the best of the best to deliver premium products, i.e. Leica, Porsche, Dolby, Harman. My husband follows all the latest tech trends and does his research. The Huawei MediaPad M3 Lite definitely passed his inspection!
Take the step that my family and I have, step into the technology age and utilize your tablet. Take back your sanity and maximize your time!
