7 ms·

Show HN: Oh Yah – Routine management app I built for my sons

97 points by gantengx 1y ago

Hi HN! I built Oh Yah! to help my sons (age 7 and 10) stick to daily routines without constant reminders. The core idea: minimal distractions during tasks by locking navigation when a timer is running, plus optional photo-based task completion for accountability Built with React Native/Expo and Firebase. The trickiest part was designing the UX to be simple enough for kids with minimal distractions while giving parents enough control – ended up with a task-definition system that lets parents create weekly schedules with daily toggles instead of duplicating tasks across days It's on the App Store now after a few months of dogfooding with my family. There's a 1-month free trial, then it's subscription-based. Would love feedback from other parents dealing with similar challenges

RiverStone 11mo ago
Congrats on the launch! I would have loved this kind of structure as a kid.
- gantengx 11mo ago
  Thanks!
HNLurker2 11mo ago
If anyone can help make mobile games for android, or even iOS I want to make my game I have the python code idea with 600+ lines but I need to make it into APK to share with my friends. Thanks
ssgodderidge 1y ago
Congrats on the launch! A month of use in your own family is a win in its own right. What’s been your sons’ reception of the app so far?
- gantengx 1y ago
  Thanks! This was my wife's idea and I thought it's interesting but was skeptical at first. But after we started using it, it actually helped a lot! Much less whining/crying and a lot less stressful for my wife and I So at least it works for my family, and just like you said, it's a huge win by itself :)
  - curtistyr 1y ago
    It's fascinating how you've turned a personal challenge into a solution that could help many families! The reduction in stress and whining is a huge win—every parent I know would love that. I'm curious about how the kids responded initially to the photo proof feature—did they find it fun or just another chore? Also, have you considered expanding the app for other routine-based needs, like homework or chores, to make it even more versatile?
    - gantengx 1y ago
      Thanks! They actually liked the photo part. Right now just focusing to handle daily routine but could expand later depending on the feedback
TheSilva 1y ago
Slightly off-topic, but as this will require kids to have access to an unlocked phone... I remember Windows Phone had the feature of "unlocked apps", which you could run without having to unlock the phone: think calculator, browser, games. It was called Kids Corner[1]. Have any other OS (iOS/Androind) copied anything similar to that? This app will (or at least in my case) live in a place like that, where they do not have access to the whole platform. [1] https://www.windowscentral.com/kids-corner-windows-phone-8 https://www.windowscentral.com/kids-corner-windows-phone-8
- gantengx 1y ago
  Yeah, that's a valid concern. We use an older spare iPhone for this, which worked out well. iOS doesn't have a "Kids Corner" equivalent unfortunately - you'd need to use Screen Time restrictions to lock down the device (block apps/calls/etc) but still need to unlock the phone
  - shlip 1y ago
    There was an article not long ago about using Apple Configurator to dumb down an iphone : https://stopa.io/post/297 https://stopa.io/post/297 Maybe this could be handy.
- itake 1y ago
  iOS lets you lock apps behind faceID. All my communication and banking apps are protected.
  - TheSilva 1y ago
    Yes, and I do the same. However, Kids Corner was a curated list of apps that you chose to share freely without password/FaceID. I don't want to lock my browser, photos, maps, etc. behind FaceID. I want to hand my phone knowing they will only use one or two apps and the fun stops when they hand me over the device.
- piltdownman 1y ago
  For Android w/Playstore you can set up a child's account through Google and then use Google Family Link app to control app downloads, block specific apps, and set content restrictions for apps, movies, and games. You can set down times for the whole phone and lock it remotely which is of huge benefit for bedtimes!
shizcakes 1y ago
Suggestion for the site: it references “no navigation” a few times, but I am having a hard time understanding what that means. What kind of navigation is meant here? What are the boundaries of the navigation limits? Various definitions of “navigation” I can think of: - no switching tasks in the app - some sort of phone-wide parental control - maps is disabled ;-)
- gantengx 1y ago
  In this case, navigation means in-app navigation. When a task timer is running, kids can't switch to other tasks, go back to the main screen, or change profiles. They have to complete the current task first The goal is to keep them focused on one thing at a time without the temptation to jump around :)
ale42 1y ago
Not to criticize the idea, but do we really need to give our kids yet _more_ screen time, especially young ones? Pedagogically, what is the message for them here? You need a phone for everything?
- sjw987 1y ago
  Gotta get them hooked early. You really shouldn't need apps at any age to keep you on track with tasks.
  - dmos62 1y ago
    It's easy to judge, but the alternative might be a kid that's on his phone anyway, but struggles to have a structured routine.
    - sjw987 1y ago
      Task management apps are crutches. If any part of their role is to inspire change in somebody, it's not going to happen. All that you do is make people reliant on them, and everything disappears when the app is no longer around. They're best for reference (day-to-day and team coordination). The concept of a task management app for children is dystopian. It's treating them like office workers from the beginning, and considering the example given is the typical chess, piano, Chinese lessons, it's just overloading the child for exhaustion. Parents should be parenting their children. Limiting their exposure to things, including screens and the internet, and disciplining a child to study or work are part of a parents purview. I can't see why people even have children if they delegate all of their parenting responsibilities to screens and software.
      - TimTheTinker 1y ago
        > Task management apps are crutches. [...] All that you do is make people reliant on them, and everything disappears when the app is no longer around. Welcome to ADHD management. At its core, its an executive function deficit. My wife and I both have it (my case is worse) and so do most of our children. External systems and environments have a huge effect on our ability to manage life, and that's not something that can change. The solution is to learn to work with it and tune our environments.
W0lfEagle 1y ago
Downvote me but: kids shouldn't have phones. No disrespect to the author and congratulations on the launch and all. I just find the entire concept completely dystopian. Like, play, enjoy your life kids! There's plenty of time for entirely unnecessary "tasks"/"work" later in life.
- p0w3n3d 1y ago
  I think I'm heading to the place were you already are. I gave access to phones to my kids, and all the apps that monitor their time fail, when there is no will in them to stop. Also doing any task with the phone makes them navigate away (to instant messaging with their colleagues etc) But on the other hand - the world is digital now. I have no idea how to make them learn good habits on finding things on the internet while not falling to the infinite well of doomscrolling etc.
- subpixel 1y ago
  Parent, 100% agree. Even worse, approaching device access like a reward to be earned is a bad idea.
- stevekemp 1y ago
  My child started walking to school, alone, at age seven. More importantly he'd start walking home from school in the afternoon a couple of hours before his parents were home. Having a child be able to call you and say "I'm in the park", "I'm at my friends house", "Can I invite a friend over?" was very good for reassurance. We still throw him out and say "Go to the park" on a weekend, safe in the knowledge that if we need to know where he is we can call and ask, or he can phone us to say he saw a friend and is going to their place, etc. I don't love children having screen time, and we set a timer so he's not allowed unfettered access, but giving him a phone? Even a dumb phone? I think its a net positive.
- richrichardsson 1y ago
  We seem to be the only family in my children's school who think under-13s should not have a smart phone. The places they range to are so close they don't even need a dumb phone. I'm getting quite pissed at the school seemingly assuming every kid has a smart phone that they need to access things for school with.
aae42 1y ago
Preparing them for the future when all of their work will be laid out this way to maximize productivity
mcdooglator 1y ago
Wow this is perfect. As a parent who is looking to avoid real interactions with my kid while also getting them started on the smart phone serotonin addiction this is perfect. With this I won't have to actually talk to little margaret when she isn't doing enough calculus. What is your pricing model?
mallowdram 1y ago
Shows a complete lack of understanding of how childrens' skills are developed. Intelligence is built from various sequences. 1. Path integrations. The ability to test without supervision and coaching movements beyond the scope of eyesight, aided by landmarks, without the use of breadcrumbs or maps. 2. Short-cuts. The ability to use the above to create short-cuts in the unmapped and unsupervised, unaided paths. 3. Vicarious trial-and-error. The ability to learn both from mistakes and idiosyncratic choices that develop unique solutions. And there are MANY others like this in the motor and cognitive mapping system built from sharp wave ripples. This software is the equivalent of brainwashing experience into mechanical reproducibility. It's the latests tech horror show.
- entropie 1y ago
  > Intelligence is built from various sequences. This is not about intelligence or development of children skills, its about task completion. Your comment sound pretty rude.
  - mallowdram 1y ago
    Narrowing the concept of what a task is at this age is extremely damaging and limiting to experience. Naming sequences as "tasks" is tantamount to enslavement into an order of roboticism. This sounds like the beginning of a Bradbury story in which children revolt en masse. Pretty rude? The entire approach here aimed at kids is beyond rude. It's mind-control. “A growing body of evidence has found that children’s brains can structurally and functionally change due to prolonged media multitasking, such as diminished gray matter in the prefrontal cortex, where attentional control and complex decision making abilities reside, among other really important skills, like the development of empathy and understanding nonverbal social communication,”
leipert 1y ago
There is a thing called „routine cards“ for children which is how we handle morning/evening routines. They are colourful cards that you can velcro on in any order. Similar things are available for weekly routines
- gantengx 1y ago
  Glad that works for you! We tried paper-based routines but they didn't stick for us. The timer helps them realize tasks take less time than they think, and the photo proof solves disputes about task quality when sometimes their "done" meant rushed with minimal effort :D
entropie 1y ago
My partner has severe ADHD since early childhood and while watching parts of the video I said to myself: That would probably help her a lot. She has big problems priorizing tasks that may depend on each other
- gantengx 1y ago
  Thanks! Glad it resonates. The app is designed specifically for kids with a simplified UX and parent mode, so it might feel too basic for adults. However, the core concepts (ordered tasks, focus timer, photo completion) could work. Worth trying the trial to see if it fits :)
conceptme 1y ago
this app kinda fits with the asian parents meme
- gantengx 1y ago
  I am indeed an asian haha
xrd 1y ago
I wrote up a screen plan for my kids. They get an hour of screentime a day (2 hrs on weekends). They have to write on the whiteboard the time they start, and I have a camera watching the whiteboard (with sound off) if I need to verify they put their devices back afterwards (I've never had to audit them yet). It has worked wonders. It is not perfect but my two 8 and 10 year old daughters have used it. My 12 year old son, battles me in every way, but I feel like it is a small war instead of WWIII now. They get a bonus of screen time before school if they get all their chores done. The whiteboard has all those chores. I hate them having screen time before school, but I like that I no longer am fighting with them to get their socks on. This is a drastic improvement from a few months back.
- gantengx 1y ago
  Ah we're pretty similar in that regard. Officially their screen time is 30min on weekdays (excluding the app usage and chess.com) so the app basically digitise that whiteboard + timer concept Photo proof actually was my wife's idea. She wanted to verify the task quality when she wasn't at home - similar to your audit capability I guess the 12year old battles will be coming for me next.. Not exactly looking forward to the puberty haha
alphazard 1y ago
The app itself is a great idea, but looking through the demo video I see lots of bad "tiger parent" memes. I don't think that I would want to force a child to do these sorts of tasks in a regimen, or be forced as a child to perform them. The demo video (which does showcase the app well), includes things like chess and piano and homework. Does the child like doing any of these? Have you vetted the homework as worth the child's time? Missing from the list are things that translate to adulthood, like physically training every day and performing useful tasks like chores in exchange for something like money. You have to exercise as an adult even if you don't want to, it's part of the human condition. If you don't become accustomed to conditioning as an adolescent and only exercise through sports, it can be difficult to stay fit as an adult. You have to perform useful work because we live in a world of scarcity, but doing hobbies that don't interest you because they impress people or your parents told you to do them as a child is absolutely nuts. I should add: I'm not criticizing your parenting decisions, obviously I have none of the relevant context, but I thought I would convey a sentiment that may exist in your market demographic, which you maybe don't share.
- Thorrez 1y ago
  >Have you vetted the homework as worth the child's time? If the homework isn't worth the child's time, what do you suggest? Don't do it and get a bad grade? Parent does it for the child? Ask AI to do it? (That would still take time and thus should probably be on the schedule.) Talk to the teacher to ask it not be done?
  - alphazard 1y ago
    The best long term answer is to seek schooling that doesn't assign busy work. If you really want to take your child's education seriously then homeschooling, private schooling, and manipulating the school board all have to be on the table. If the child is old enough, you could explain that the homework is not useful to them, and try to turn it into a teachable moment about manipulating systems for one's advantage. Then delegate the homework to AI, or lookup the answers online. I would be very cautious about doing that with a young child, there's a lot of nuance. Dishonesty towards friends and family is always bad, towards bureaucracies is okay. The crucial adult skill is to not tolerate useless work. If you become complacent with doing work that doesn't help anyone, then you considerably increase your risk of losing employment, or being ineffective when working solo. AI is going to force this lesson on the next generations.
d--b 1y ago
Eesh... This feels like a punch clock for kids... I mean my kids have a hard time with routine management, but that's not going to make anything better unless you gamify the shit out of it. Show them a counter of how well they're doing and reward them when they're done with some animated crap that's different every time, and maybe they'll use it for more than three days.
havaloc 1y ago
Frederick Taylor approves! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederick_Winslow_Taylor https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederick_Winslow_Taylor
Brajeshwar 1y ago
I’m trying some sort of a routine and patterns of habits with my kids, and so far are full of misses. I made a checklist based weekly routine on a spreadsheet with task such as racking the dishwasher, and pushing the right buttons on it, the same goes for clothes — learn to separate clothes based on color, and other characteristics etc. This a simple printed paper stuck near the kitchen for them to just run their fingers on the checklist to see if they have to do for the day of the week. There is no specific time or a deadline but I’m training them to look at in the morning, after school, and before bed. For instance, the before bed routine makes sure we run the dishwasher while we sleep to have fresh washed dishes the next morning. Besides the usual rewards of extra game-time, chocolates, etc. we have also introduced a “Daughter of the Month” with special privileges.
explorigin 1y ago
So many parental opinions on here. Not every kid is the same. Trying to apply blanket parental strategies speaks of ignorance. I have neurodivergent kids and this could be great for them.
- gantengx 1y ago
  Thanks for this. Our child psychologist recommended structured routines, and paper-based scheduling just didn't work for us hence the app
Dxtros 1y ago
I think this concept could be adapted to a wider audience. Personally I struggle with routine. Body Doubling (doing something with another human holding you accountable) helps me a ton. I would definitely use this if instead of the parents as the reviewer it was possible to have a friend/multiple friends approve, rate and comment on tasks and vice versa. Like a sort of social media for mundane routines.
- tummler 1y ago
  Yeah, I think this would work well generally, not just for kids. And ADHD folks in particular.
  - czbond 1y ago
    Looking at it for my ADHD child ha.
- port11 1y ago
  Maybe Beeminder.com or one of the peer pressure equivalents?
- gantengx 1y ago
  I did consider that early on, but decided against it for now. Adding social features would be a privacy nightmare (especially with kids involved) and would significantly complicate both the UX and codebase
jonapro 1y ago
I'd rather not include additional screen time for my kids. We have a printed sheet of paper on the fridge. If they don't do what they need to then they have a consequence (no TV, no screen, no desert, no playing w friends). Not everything needs to be fun and games in life.
samteeeee 1y ago
Give the kids a break... let them be free to play. They are only 7 and 10, why do they need daily routines, task completion, accountability, timers? Sheesh.
- pizzafeelsright 11mo ago
  I run a walled garden. Full freedom of the garden within the confines of the wall. My kids: wake up - make your bed. Prep breakfast for self or others, play until breakfast. Then clean up, homeschool, then freedom until I get off work. Then a period of quiet time where we do not interact with others unless invited. Then it is "bless another" for an hour where we work on something for someone else. The only timer is for video games because time passes differently when playing. And video game time is purchased through exercise. I try to model and build schedules to maximize their ability to balance managing themselves, a business, their time, and their family.
- IncreasePosts 1y ago
  You could try asking OP instead of sheeshing it off. Any ways, just because you have some "structure routine" in your day doesn't mean you don't also have many hours of free play time.
  - stronglikedan 1y ago
    > You could try asking OP instead of sheeshing it off. I'm pretty sure a top level comment is effectively "asking OP". As for sheeshing it off, why can't we have both?
    - IncreasePosts 1y ago
      Because saying "this is stupid" is much less likely to get a useful response than "what's your specific use case in your family"?
      - collingreen 1y ago
        Or better yet, "how do your decide what the right balance of structured tasks vs free time is for kids of various ages?"
quantumgarbage 1y ago
nice, my kids are going to have so many fond memories of their childhood thanks to your app
asdf0000 1y ago
I’m sorry but starting the video immediately with Chinese, piano, homework, and chess is so stereotypical that it gives off borderline racist vibes. To me it looks like a subtle joke about tiger parenting. If you want this to appeal to people outside your community you need to include activities that more diverse people engage with.
TimTheTinker 1y ago
You should try Oh Yah! if: - Your child struggles with daily routines and needs constant reminders - Mornings and after-school time are stressful battles - You've tried reward charts and systems that didn't stick - Your child needs clear structure but gets overwhelmed easily - You want to build independence without constant nagging - You need a solution that works for the whole family This sounds like a household with a lot of ADHD. :)

97 points by gantengx 1y ago

RiverStone 11mo ago

Congrats on the launch! I would have loved this kind of structure as a kid.

gantengx 11mo ago
Thanks!

HNLurker2 11mo ago

If anyone can help make mobile games for android, or even iOS I want to make my game I have the python code idea with 600+ lines but I need to make it into APK to share with my friends. Thanks

ssgodderidge 1y ago

Congrats on the launch! A month of use in your own family is a win in its own right. What’s been your sons’ reception of the app so far?

gantengx 1y ago
Thanks! This was my wife's idea and I thought it's interesting but was skeptical at first. But after we started using it, it actually helped a lot! Much less whining/crying and a lot less stressful for my wife and I So at least it works for my family, and just like you said, it's a huge win by itself :)
- curtistyr 1y ago
  It's fascinating how you've turned a personal challenge into a solution that could help many families! The reduction in stress and whining is a huge win—every parent I know would love that. I'm curious about how the kids responded initially to the photo proof feature—did they find it fun or just another chore? Also, have you considered expanding the app for other routine-based needs, like homework or chores, to make it even more versatile?
  - gantengx 1y ago
    Thanks! They actually liked the photo part. Right now just focusing to handle daily routine but could expand later depending on the feedback

TheSilva 1y ago

Slightly off-topic, but as this will require kids to have access to an unlocked phone... I remember Windows Phone had the feature of "unlocked apps", which you could run without having to unlock the phone: think calculator, browser, games. It was called Kids Corner[1]. Have any other OS (iOS/Androind) copied anything similar to that? This app will (or at least in my case) live in a place like that, where they do not have access to the whole platform. [1] https://www.windowscentral.com/kids-corner-windows-phone-8 https://www.windowscentral.com/kids-corner-windows-phone-8

gantengx 1y ago
Yeah, that's a valid concern. We use an older spare iPhone for this, which worked out well. iOS doesn't have a "Kids Corner" equivalent unfortunately - you'd need to use Screen Time restrictions to lock down the device (block apps/calls/etc) but still need to unlock the phone
- shlip 1y ago
  There was an article not long ago about using Apple Configurator to dumb down an iphone : https://stopa.io/post/297 https://stopa.io/post/297 Maybe this could be handy.
itake 1y ago
iOS lets you lock apps behind faceID. All my communication and banking apps are protected.
- TheSilva 1y ago
  Yes, and I do the same. However, Kids Corner was a curated list of apps that you chose to share freely without password/FaceID. I don't want to lock my browser, photos, maps, etc. behind FaceID. I want to hand my phone knowing they will only use one or two apps and the fun stops when they hand me over the device.
piltdownman 1y ago
For Android w/Playstore you can set up a child's account through Google and then use Google Family Link app to control app downloads, block specific apps, and set content restrictions for apps, movies, and games. You can set down times for the whole phone and lock it remotely which is of huge benefit for bedtimes!

shizcakes 1y ago

Suggestion for the site: it references “no navigation” a few times, but I am having a hard time understanding what that means. What kind of navigation is meant here? What are the boundaries of the navigation limits? Various definitions of “navigation” I can think of: - no switching tasks in the app - some sort of phone-wide parental control - maps is disabled ;-)

gantengx 1y ago
In this case, navigation means in-app navigation. When a task timer is running, kids can't switch to other tasks, go back to the main screen, or change profiles. They have to complete the current task first The goal is to keep them focused on one thing at a time without the temptation to jump around :)

ale42 1y ago

Not to criticize the idea, but do we really need to give our kids yet _more_ screen time, especially young ones? Pedagogically, what is the message for them here? You need a phone for everything?

sjw987 1y ago
Gotta get them hooked early. You really shouldn't need apps at any age to keep you on track with tasks.
- dmos62 1y ago
  It's easy to judge, but the alternative might be a kid that's on his phone anyway, but struggles to have a structured routine.
  - sjw987 1y ago
    Task management apps are crutches. If any part of their role is to inspire change in somebody, it's not going to happen. All that you do is make people reliant on them, and everything disappears when the app is no longer around. They're best for reference (day-to-day and team coordination). The concept of a task management app for children is dystopian. It's treating them like office workers from the beginning, and considering the example given is the typical chess, piano, Chinese lessons, it's just overloading the child for exhaustion. Parents should be parenting their children. Limiting their exposure to things, including screens and the internet, and disciplining a child to study or work are part of a parents purview. I can't see why people even have children if they delegate all of their parenting responsibilities to screens and software.
    - TimTheTinker 1y ago
      > Task management apps are crutches. [...] All that you do is make people reliant on them, and everything disappears when the app is no longer around. Welcome to ADHD management. At its core, its an executive function deficit. My wife and I both have it (my case is worse) and so do most of our children. External systems and environments have a huge effect on our ability to manage life, and that's not something that can change. The solution is to learn to work with it and tune our environments.

W0lfEagle 1y ago

Downvote me but: kids shouldn't have phones. No disrespect to the author and congratulations on the launch and all. I just find the entire concept completely dystopian. Like, play, enjoy your life kids! There's plenty of time for entirely unnecessary "tasks"/"work" later in life.

p0w3n3d 1y ago
I think I'm heading to the place were you already are. I gave access to phones to my kids, and all the apps that monitor their time fail, when there is no will in them to stop. Also doing any task with the phone makes them navigate away (to instant messaging with their colleagues etc) But on the other hand - the world is digital now. I have no idea how to make them learn good habits on finding things on the internet while not falling to the infinite well of doomscrolling etc.
subpixel 1y ago
Parent, 100% agree. Even worse, approaching device access like a reward to be earned is a bad idea.
stevekemp 1y ago
My child started walking to school, alone, at age seven. More importantly he'd start walking home from school in the afternoon a couple of hours before his parents were home. Having a child be able to call you and say "I'm in the park", "I'm at my friends house", "Can I invite a friend over?" was very good for reassurance. We still throw him out and say "Go to the park" on a weekend, safe in the knowledge that if we need to know where he is we can call and ask, or he can phone us to say he saw a friend and is going to their place, etc. I don't love children having screen time, and we set a timer so he's not allowed unfettered access, but giving him a phone? Even a dumb phone? I think its a net positive.
richrichardsson 1y ago
We seem to be the only family in my children's school who think under-13s should not have a smart phone. The places they range to are so close they don't even need a dumb phone. I'm getting quite pissed at the school seemingly assuming every kid has a smart phone that they need to access things for school with.

aae42 1y ago

Preparing them for the future when all of their work will be laid out this way to maximize productivity

mcdooglator 1y ago

Wow this is perfect. As a parent who is looking to avoid real interactions with my kid while also getting them started on the smart phone serotonin addiction this is perfect. With this I won't have to actually talk to little margaret when she isn't doing enough calculus. What is your pricing model?

mallowdram 1y ago

Shows a complete lack of understanding of how childrens' skills are developed. Intelligence is built from various sequences. 1. Path integrations. The ability to test without supervision and coaching movements beyond the scope of eyesight, aided by landmarks, without the use of breadcrumbs or maps. 2. Short-cuts. The ability to use the above to create short-cuts in the unmapped and unsupervised, unaided paths. 3. Vicarious trial-and-error. The ability to learn both from mistakes and idiosyncratic choices that develop unique solutions. And there are MANY others like this in the motor and cognitive mapping system built from sharp wave ripples. This software is the equivalent of brainwashing experience into mechanical reproducibility. It's the latests tech horror show.

entropie 1y ago
> Intelligence is built from various sequences. This is not about intelligence or development of children skills, its about task completion. Your comment sound pretty rude.
- mallowdram 1y ago
  Narrowing the concept of what a task is at this age is extremely damaging and limiting to experience. Naming sequences as "tasks" is tantamount to enslavement into an order of roboticism. This sounds like the beginning of a Bradbury story in which children revolt en masse. Pretty rude? The entire approach here aimed at kids is beyond rude. It's mind-control. “A growing body of evidence has found that children’s brains can structurally and functionally change due to prolonged media multitasking, such as diminished gray matter in the prefrontal cortex, where attentional control and complex decision making abilities reside, among other really important skills, like the development of empathy and understanding nonverbal social communication,”

leipert 1y ago

There is a thing called „routine cards“ for children which is how we handle morning/evening routines. They are colourful cards that you can velcro on in any order. Similar things are available for weekly routines

gantengx 1y ago
Glad that works for you! We tried paper-based routines but they didn't stick for us. The timer helps them realize tasks take less time than they think, and the photo proof solves disputes about task quality when sometimes their "done" meant rushed with minimal effort :D

entropie 1y ago

My partner has severe ADHD since early childhood and while watching parts of the video I said to myself: That would probably help her a lot. She has big problems priorizing tasks that may depend on each other

gantengx 1y ago
Thanks! Glad it resonates. The app is designed specifically for kids with a simplified UX and parent mode, so it might feel too basic for adults. However, the core concepts (ordered tasks, focus timer, photo completion) could work. Worth trying the trial to see if it fits :)

conceptme 1y ago

this app kinda fits with the asian parents meme

gantengx 1y ago
I am indeed an asian haha

xrd 1y ago

I wrote up a screen plan for my kids. They get an hour of screentime a day (2 hrs on weekends). They have to write on the whiteboard the time they start, and I have a camera watching the whiteboard (with sound off) if I need to verify they put their devices back afterwards (I've never had to audit them yet). It has worked wonders. It is not perfect but my two 8 and 10 year old daughters have used it. My 12 year old son, battles me in every way, but I feel like it is a small war instead of WWIII now. They get a bonus of screen time before school if they get all their chores done. The whiteboard has all those chores. I hate them having screen time before school, but I like that I no longer am fighting with them to get their socks on. This is a drastic improvement from a few months back.

gantengx 1y ago
Ah we're pretty similar in that regard. Officially their screen time is 30min on weekdays (excluding the app usage and chess.com) so the app basically digitise that whiteboard + timer concept Photo proof actually was my wife's idea. She wanted to verify the task quality when she wasn't at home - similar to your audit capability I guess the 12year old battles will be coming for me next.. Not exactly looking forward to the puberty haha

alphazard 1y ago

The app itself is a great idea, but looking through the demo video I see lots of bad "tiger parent" memes. I don't think that I would want to force a child to do these sorts of tasks in a regimen, or be forced as a child to perform them. The demo video (which does showcase the app well), includes things like chess and piano and homework. Does the child like doing any of these? Have you vetted the homework as worth the child's time? Missing from the list are things that translate to adulthood, like physically training every day and performing useful tasks like chores in exchange for something like money. You have to exercise as an adult even if you don't want to, it's part of the human condition. If you don't become accustomed to conditioning as an adolescent and only exercise through sports, it can be difficult to stay fit as an adult. You have to perform useful work because we live in a world of scarcity, but doing hobbies that don't interest you because they impress people or your parents told you to do them as a child is absolutely nuts. I should add: I'm not criticizing your parenting decisions, obviously I have none of the relevant context, but I thought I would convey a sentiment that may exist in your market demographic, which you maybe don't share.

Thorrez 1y ago
>Have you vetted the homework as worth the child's time? If the homework isn't worth the child's time, what do you suggest? Don't do it and get a bad grade? Parent does it for the child? Ask AI to do it? (That would still take time and thus should probably be on the schedule.) Talk to the teacher to ask it not be done?
- alphazard 1y ago
  The best long term answer is to seek schooling that doesn't assign busy work. If you really want to take your child's education seriously then homeschooling, private schooling, and manipulating the school board all have to be on the table. If the child is old enough, you could explain that the homework is not useful to them, and try to turn it into a teachable moment about manipulating systems for one's advantage. Then delegate the homework to AI, or lookup the answers online. I would be very cautious about doing that with a young child, there's a lot of nuance. Dishonesty towards friends and family is always bad, towards bureaucracies is okay. The crucial adult skill is to not tolerate useless work. If you become complacent with doing work that doesn't help anyone, then you considerably increase your risk of losing employment, or being ineffective when working solo. AI is going to force this lesson on the next generations.

d--b 1y ago

Eesh... This feels like a punch clock for kids... I mean my kids have a hard time with routine management, but that's not going to make anything better unless you gamify the shit out of it. Show them a counter of how well they're doing and reward them when they're done with some animated crap that's different every time, and maybe they'll use it for more than three days.

havaloc 1y ago

Frederick Taylor approves! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederick_Winslow_Taylor https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederick_Winslow_Taylor

Brajeshwar 1y ago

I’m trying some sort of a routine and patterns of habits with my kids, and so far are full of misses. I made a checklist based weekly routine on a spreadsheet with task such as racking the dishwasher, and pushing the right buttons on it, the same goes for clothes — learn to separate clothes based on color, and other characteristics etc. This a simple printed paper stuck near the kitchen for them to just run their fingers on the checklist to see if they have to do for the day of the week. There is no specific time or a deadline but I’m training them to look at in the morning, after school, and before bed. For instance, the before bed routine makes sure we run the dishwasher while we sleep to have fresh washed dishes the next morning. Besides the usual rewards of extra game-time, chocolates, etc. we have also introduced a “Daughter of the Month” with special privileges.

explorigin 1y ago

So many parental opinions on here. Not every kid is the same. Trying to apply blanket parental strategies speaks of ignorance. I have neurodivergent kids and this could be great for them.

gantengx 1y ago
Thanks for this. Our child psychologist recommended structured routines, and paper-based scheduling just didn't work for us hence the app

Dxtros 1y ago

I think this concept could be adapted to a wider audience. Personally I struggle with routine. Body Doubling (doing something with another human holding you accountable) helps me a ton. I would definitely use this if instead of the parents as the reviewer it was possible to have a friend/multiple friends approve, rate and comment on tasks and vice versa. Like a sort of social media for mundane routines.

tummler 1y ago
Yeah, I think this would work well generally, not just for kids. And ADHD folks in particular.
- czbond 1y ago
  Looking at it for my ADHD child ha.
port11 1y ago
Maybe Beeminder.com or one of the peer pressure equivalents?
gantengx 1y ago
I did consider that early on, but decided against it for now. Adding social features would be a privacy nightmare (especially with kids involved) and would significantly complicate both the UX and codebase

jonapro 1y ago

I'd rather not include additional screen time for my kids. We have a printed sheet of paper on the fridge. If they don't do what they need to then they have a consequence (no TV, no screen, no desert, no playing w friends). Not everything needs to be fun and games in life.

samteeeee 1y ago

Give the kids a break... let them be free to play. They are only 7 and 10, why do they need daily routines, task completion, accountability, timers? Sheesh.

pizzafeelsright 11mo ago
I run a walled garden. Full freedom of the garden within the confines of the wall. My kids: wake up - make your bed. Prep breakfast for self or others, play until breakfast. Then clean up, homeschool, then freedom until I get off work. Then a period of quiet time where we do not interact with others unless invited. Then it is "bless another" for an hour where we work on something for someone else. The only timer is for video games because time passes differently when playing. And video game time is purchased through exercise. I try to model and build schedules to maximize their ability to balance managing themselves, a business, their time, and their family.
IncreasePosts 1y ago
You could try asking OP instead of sheeshing it off. Any ways, just because you have some "structure routine" in your day doesn't mean you don't also have many hours of free play time.
- stronglikedan 1y ago
  > You could try asking OP instead of sheeshing it off. I'm pretty sure a top level comment is effectively "asking OP". As for sheeshing it off, why can't we have both?
  - IncreasePosts 1y ago
    Because saying "this is stupid" is much less likely to get a useful response than "what's your specific use case in your family"?
    - collingreen 1y ago
      Or better yet, "how do your decide what the right balance of structured tasks vs free time is for kids of various ages?"

quantumgarbage 1y ago

nice, my kids are going to have so many fond memories of their childhood thanks to your app

asdf0000 1y ago

I’m sorry but starting the video immediately with Chinese, piano, homework, and chess is so stereotypical that it gives off borderline racist vibes. To me it looks like a subtle joke about tiger parenting. If you want this to appeal to people outside your community you need to include activities that more diverse people engage with.

TimTheTinker 1y ago

You should try Oh Yah! if: - Your child struggles with daily routines and needs constant reminders - Mornings and after-school time are stressful battles - You've tried reward charts and systems that didn't stick - Your child needs clear structure but gets overwhelmed easily - You want to build independence without constant nagging - You need a solution that works for the whole family This sounds like a household with a lot of ADHD. :)