Occasionally, a friend with no kids will suggest to a harried parent that they’re “just making life too complicated.” And of course, we smile and wait for the day they experience the realities of parenthood. Thankfully, there is technology that can simplify our unavoidably complex lives—with smart devices being some of the most effective. With a fast and reliable connection like Ting, you can create a smart home that helps make your life easier. Here are some of our favorite smart devices for parents.

Smart home speakers

It’s every parent’s dream to have a celebrity-style personal assistant. While that isn’t financially feasible for most of us, these little technological marvels do a great job of lending a helping hand. Smart speakers can integrate with other devices, set reminders and allow for hands-free music and video control. These features make many parenting tasks a bit easier and more organized. The speakers’ ability to learn our behavior means that over time, they become even more adept at their job. You’ve got lots of great options to choose from, but these three are the most popular.

• Amazon Echo Series

• Google Nest Series

• Apple HomePod Series

Smart baby monitors

Baby monitors are a must with an infant in the home—both for the baby’s safety and your peace of mind. Smart baby monitors do an incredible job of maximizing both thanks to a long list of features including:

• Ultra-HD cameras
• Sleep tracking
• Breath monitoring
• Temperature/humidity monitoring
• Soothing noises/lullabies
• Alerts for events such as standing, out of bed face covering/rollover and even crying 
• Ability to connect with other smart devices to control light, temperature and more

There are many on the market, but these seem to be widely loved:

• Nanit Pro Camera

• Vtech V-Care 1080p Over-the-Crib WiFi Smart Baby Monitor

• Lollipop Smart Baby Camera

Smart security systems

Keeping our families safe is of course one of our greatest concerns. Combining multiple smart devices and monitoring apps, smart security systems help us do just that. As an added bonus for parents, they also keep us abreast of our kids’ movements in and out of the house. Thanks to their wireless nature, they’re quite easy to set up yourself. We recommend systems with battery and cellular backup to ensure you remain safe in the event of power and internet outages. Some popular options include:

• Ring Alarm Pro

• Adobe iota All-in-One Security Kit

• ADT Command

Smart kitchen appliances

We may joke about our kids “eating us out of house and home,” but groceries and meal preparation are often two of the most time-consuming parts of parenting. That’s why smart kitchen appliances are an absolute godsend. Smart refrigerators help us keep track of item levels, expiration dates and more. Smart countertop ovens and air fryers have incredibly accurate heat controls and are much safer for kids to use than a conventional oven. Your smart coffee maker, meanwhile, can grind beans and prepare the perfect cup right on schedule, allowing you to focus on the other tasks at hand. These are a few appliances worth looking at:

• Samsung Family Hub Refrigerator

• Breville the Smart Oven Air Fryer

• iCoffee Remote Brew

Ting is the right internet for your smart home

A smart home (or a few smart devices) can greatly simplify your day-to-day life, but only if you can count on them working. With a lightning-fast, super-reliable connection, Ting Internet ensures that your smart devices are always connected and working as they should. And with our dedication to pricing honesty and a promise of no hidden fees or contracts, your internet bill will be one less thing you have to worry about. See if Ting is available in your neighborhood!