Any suggestions for Family calendar?

[tjhoo]

Background: GTD'r with non GTD wife and 4 kids (ages 9/8/7/5).

Wife had large monthly calendar (eg 36x24") on kitchen wall for kids activities (for her and kids to see at a quick glance) that now is taken down b/c wall being repainted. Looking for new solution that does not clutter the wall.

Has anyone used or seen an electronic solution for a family calendar not tied into a computer? Thought I had seen one, but now cannot find it.

To keep track of my wife/kids activities I have a separate calendar in MS Outlook 2003 for each person. I print out "print screen" into MS Word picture of all so they are side by side on the same page. Rest of family does not use this. Wife uses combo of 8x10" at a glance portable calendar (for her) and wall calendar (for kids to see).

I have set up Thunderbird/contacts/calendar for email for our 2 eldest on their shared pc. They primarily use this for email. Their pc is NOT connected to a printer (nor do I plan to soon).

Thanks for your help,

 

[dschaffner]

Has anyone used or seen an electronic solution for a family calendar not tied into a computer?

Have you looked at Google Calendar? Each person can have their own, but all can be viewed at the same time. Many other calendar apps sync with google calendar too.

- Don

 

[cojo]

Have you ever tried cozi.com? I don't have kids yet, so I haven't used it, but it looks very helpful and oriented toward family coordination. I've heard good things.

 

[MartySmith]

I second the motion for Google Calendar

Google calendar can also be interacted with via cellphone text messages. You can schedule appointments via texts and download your daily schedule as a text message. You can also subscribe to your family member's calendars such that when they add/change appointments, you receive them via text as well.

We couldn't live without it!

 

[tjhoo]

Have you looked at Google Calendar? Each person can have their own, but all can be viewed at the same time. Many other calendar apps sync with google calendar too.

- Don

Thanks: neat that mult calendars can be viwed at same time.
Does Google Calendar sync w/ Outlook?

Family email currently:
-kids: gmail accounts; goes into Thunderbird (Tbird)(software like Outlook but free) where they see their email. I have Tbird set up so
---they do not know/see their password.
---I get cc'd any email the kids send.
---any email they receive that is NOT from a pre-approved address (set by me) I get cc'd and goes directly to their trash.
Not sure if Gmail has these safety settings. If so, then could skip Tbird altogether and have them login w/ their password.

Wife's email is yahoo. Could switch to GMail

Calendar: I like Outlook b/c of labels (colors) that let me see schedule well at a glance. Does Gmail have color labels?

 

[tjhoo]

Have you ever tried cozi.com? I don't have kids yet, so I haven't used it, but it looks very helpful and oriented toward family coordination. I've heard good things.

Thanks. That looks like a nice option for a computer and smartphone! Will look into it more.

 

[JTD247365]

Google cal sync

I have google calendar synchronizing with outlook. It is a two way sync and works well. Any appointment and/or reminders entered on either show up on both

 

[Roger]

My recommendation would be to stick with a big wall calendar. Maybe tuck it away somewhere where it won't be quite such an eyesore, but still useful. A laundry room or pantry, maybe. Or find a prettier calendar.

 

[tjhoo]

I have google calendar synchronizing with outlook. It is a two way sync and works well. Any appointment and/or reminders entered on either show up on both

Excellent, that sounds like a more stable synchronization than between Blackberry and Outlook that I currently use. Calendar items entered on Blackberry do not always synchronize correctly with outlook.

Blackberry also cannot handle multiple calendars, at least with Enterprise server.

 

[tjhoo]

My recommendation would be to stick with a big wall calendar. Maybe tuck it away somewhere where it won't be quite such an eyesore, but still useful. A laundry room or pantry, maybe. Or find a prettier calendar.

my wife will agree with you most likely

 

[quantumgardener]

Does Google Calendar sync w/ Outlook?

Yes, there is a google application that does the sync, however it only syncs the main gmail user's calendar.

My wife and I have stumbled upon using google's calendar. We each have one and her calendar shows on my. I then have google email me my daily agenda and both calendars appear.

David

 

[tjhoo]

Yes, there is a google application that does the sync, however it only syncs the main gmail user's calendar.

My wife and I have stumbled upon using google's calendar. We each have one and her calendar shows on my. I then have google email me my daily agenda and both calendars appear.

David

There is an OL app to sync multiple OL calendars w/ google: http://www.daveswebsite.com/software/gsync/