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Best Family Calendar App?

tkradtke

tkradtke

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I thought I had seen a discussion about this before, but I couldn't find it when I did a search.

For those of you how balance schedules for multiple family members, what app do you like to use? I did a bullet journal this year, which works great for me, but my husband and son both like to see the calendar so they know what's going on before they schedule things.

In the past, when the kids' schedules were my schedules, I just used google calendar, but now that everyone is so independent, it doesn't work as well (unless there are tips I'm unaware of... if so, please share!). Plus my son would like to be able to set up reminders for JUST his stuff versus getting notifications for every time Clara has dance or I have a haircut.

I thought I had found the answer last week when I tried Cozi Family Calendar. But then it let me down. It's a free app, but to access features you have to pay (simple things like month view calendars). I don't mind buying an app, the money isn't an issue, it's that Cozi is a subscription model. $19.99 per year. I might even justify that if I wanted to use more of the premium features, but really it's like month view and one other thing.

Thanks!
 
tkradtke said:
Nevermind... I think I figured out how to make google calendar work. But seeing my previously clean calendar fill up with bright colored blocks is stressing me out.
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You can toggle the calendars that are shared with you off and on. I usually only have my personal calendar turned on, but I can toggle it off and then view others, or view mine in conjunction with another family member's, if I'm trying to schedule something. I love Google calendar!
 
We use google calendar as well. We have one "calendar" that is for family events, and one for each individual. I like the colors...I can quickly look at the calendar and tell by the colors who has something going on.
 
I use a paper planner for me day to day.

But DH, my meal plan site, my designers, and my hockey team are more google calendar people. So I also use google calendar a lot. I do turn off calendars on the side.

I find that it's the easiest for me because sites I use have the ical or whatever that lets me import them into my calendar, and it's easy for someone to share a calendar with me.

And I did try Cozi, but didn't like the interface and some other things about it.
 
We use Google calendars too, but our kids dont' add anything of their own yet. My hubby and I are still adding all their stuff so far and they couldn't care less about reminders yet. That's what we are for to them I guess. :giggle They do each have there own calendar though and their own color and so far that's been working great for us.
 
DH uses Outlook at work. If it works for dozens of people to plan meetings, then I'd think it'd work for a family. :) So if you have Microsoft, then I've got to assume you have access to Outlook, if you're willing to try something new. But on the other hand, I hope you can make Google calendar work for you if only because you're already used to it!

I don't use a digital calendar for family stuff. I'm like Kimberlee: paper calendar on the fridge. But our kids are young, so right now I'm the only one adding things to the calendar (and DH, when he remembers to write "home late" on days he has a late meeting).
 
I have used Cozi for many years, but I tend to use the computer version more than the phone version for scheduling (month view is free on the computer). I do use their shopping list on the phone all the time. I have the free version.

I also print my calendar every Sunday and then scribble all over it during the week to update it. I like the printed copy but only for the current week.
 
Karen said:
We use Google calendars too, but our kids dont' add anything of their own yet. My hubby and I are still adding all their stuff so far and they couldn't care less about reminders yet. That's what we are for to them I guess. :giggle They do each have there own calendar though and their own color and so far that's been working great for us.
Click to expand...

Exactly this. I use Google calendar for all of our stuff and just color coordinate it for each family member. all of my boys have their own paper calendar in their rooms and they keep track of things I tell them about on there :giggle it's super cute, especially my 7 year old's. paper calendars don't have enough room for me anymore. I think that means we are too busy!!
 
Thanks for the input everyone! I think I've got it figured out so that google calendar works for us. The only issue is that we can't figure out how to pick and choose which items we get notifications for when using the apple calendar. This only really bothers my son, so we came up with options... he can hide all calendars but his own in the apple calendar and just turn the others on as he needs to see them. Or, he can turn off all notifications within the apple calendar and manage his notifications through the google calendar app (it looks like it offers more customization). So far, he's just left it alone. At some point though, I think he's going to get tired of getting notifications for everyone else's events.
 
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