nest cam IQ outdoor

There’s always positives and negatives about heading back to school. Kids thrive on structure, so it’s great to get them back into a schedule of school and after school activities. But if you’re a working parent with opposite hours, not being there to open the door after school, or trusting that your child leaves on time, can mean you dread September.

Thankfully, there are a few smart home devices that will give any working parent peace of mind.

Working Parents Love Nest Cam IQ

smart home devices for working parentsIf you have outdoor security cameras or Nest thermostats, you’ll probably have already heard about Nest Cam. But the latest model, Nest Cam IQ, really does track and monitor who comes into your house or yard.

Nest Cam IQ is a 1080p home security camera available in indoor and outdoor models. The outdoor Nest Cam IQ is weatherproof, so it can withstand snow, rain, and plunging temperatures. Indoor Nest Cam IQ is a small cam that sits nicely on a shelf or counter.

Both versions of Nest Cam IQ are smart home devices that use facial recognition technology to monitor who’s in your house or yard. If the camera spots someone, it will zoom in on that person, capture video and a screenshot, and send you a notification that it sees someone unfamiliar. You can teach Nest Cam IQ to recognize people in your family, and when it does, it will send you a notification naming the person who has been spotted in the house.

Another great feature of Nest Cam IQ is the two-way audio. The speaker gives you loud, clear audio so you can talk back and forth with your kids.

Long story short? A working parent can receive specific notifications when each child has arrived at home or is leaving, and you can also use the audio to call out to your kids if they should be home but you don’t see them on the camera.

Doorbell Cameras Protect Your Kids When You Aren’t Home

Doorbell Cameras are really popular as tools for home security, but if you have one, you’ll also have peace of mind knowing your kids aren’t going to open the door to someone who shouldn’t be there.

Nest offers the Nest Hello Doorbell Camera, and you can also choose the Ring Video Doorbell or August Doorbell Cam. All of these versions let you remotely answer the door, so if your kids are inside and someone knocks or rings, you can answer and speak to whomever is at the door for them.

Pop A Tile Mate in Your Kid’s Backpack

tile mateIt’s pretty normal for your kids to lose stuff. But when the lost item is a school backpack with all of their homework or a cell phone, it can be really stressful for the parents and the kids.

If you pop a Tile Mate Bluetooth Tracker in your kid’s backpack, you’ll always know where it is. Tile Mate is also small enough to place in your own wallet, handbag, or on a key chain. You can use it to search for lost items in your home, or attach it to an Android phone for quick and easy searches.

Smart home devices like Nest Cam IQ, doorbell cameras, and Tile Mate all work together to give any working parent peace of mind. Check out the reviews for Nest Indoor, Nest Outdoor, Ring Doorbell, and Tile, then shop for these smart home devices and more on Best Buy.

Shelly Wutke
Editor TV & Home Theatre
I'm a Vancouver freelancer and tech enthusiast. When I'm not writing you'll find me on my farm with my alpacas, chickens, and honeybees. Visit my website Survivemag