About

Contacts:

Moms With Apps Blog Editor: Lorraine Akemann: lorraineakemann@gmail.com

App Friday Editor: Garry Froehlich | Jellybean Tunes: garry@appfriday.com

Background

Moms With Apps is a blog supporting the thoughtful use of technology with a family-friendly point of view. Moms With Apps originated from a group of app makers who uphold the following principles:

  1. Thoughtful use of technology: Parents who are up to speed on technology trends (and who understand the benefits and pitfalls of technology’s momentum) can be the best teachers for digital literacy in their home and families.
  2. Apps aren’t parents: Apps are not a substitute for parenting.
  3. Apps aren’t everything: Apps can be used as tools in educational settings, and the value of the tool is related to the context in which it is used. So we try not to over-inflate the value of specific apps, but instead encourage educational settings that bring out the best contexts for learning.
  4. Great developers make great apps: We seek app makers with good ideas and intentions, who strive to create family-friendly content.
  5. Communities facilitate learning: Our online forums strive to connect developers so they can share best practices and learn from each other. Forums are intended to run on respect and common sense, and this self-legislation has helped the network grow and evolve over time.
  6. Keeping kids safe online is a team effort. Developers should stay informed about privacy concerns and legislation, and are encouraged to disclose the features in their apps, and how they do (or do not) use consumer data. Likewise, parents who are engaged in their children’s media experiences can learn how to balance safety with independence as children progress through ages and stages.

Getting Involved

The Moms With Apps Story

Moms With Apps was spearheaded by four moms who were developing family-friendly apps and connected over Twitter in November of 2009. What started as a small brainstorming session soon grew into a much larger and more diverse collaboration of developers. Original founders included Alesha Bishop and Jill Seman from MomMaps, Lynette Mattke from PicPocket Books, and Lorraine Akemann from My Busy Kit. One of our first Dads With Apps is Scott Weiner.

The group recognized the need for knowledge-sharing and cross-marketing to gain exposure in the App Store marketplace. Today, hundreds of developers from all over the world connect over forums and services that sprouted from this community, such as the Developer Exchange, App Friday, and Know What’s Inside.