Have your say with the new Parent Ping app!

Parents

12 August 2020

Karen Wespieser is an education researcher. She has worked at the National Foundation for Education Research, the Centre for Education Economics and the BBC amongst others. Most recently, she was responsible for establishing the specialist curriculum for Oak National Academy. Her current role is as Chief Operating Officer at Teacher Tapp and Parent Ping. Karen is also a mum of two and a school governor.

Do you have points in the day when no-one in your family is permitted to use a screen/internet device, e.g. mealtimes? Is parenting today easier or harder than when you were growing up? Did you get a lie in on Sunday?

These are just some of the questions that a new daily survey app has been asking parents. The aim is that the app — Parent Ping — helps you learn how other parents are dealing with life, without the usual hassles of social media.

What’s the story?

For years, the team at Teacher Tapp, a similar (and very popular) app for teachers have wondered if what is happening in school is reflected at home. For example, teachers say that pupils are given homework – but do parents see it being done? Thankfully, the charity grant organisation Big Change saw this huge need and have given us the cash to build Parent Ping.

How does it work?

Easy! If you are a parent, download the free Parent Ping app from the Play Store or the App Store. Each day your phone will PING! and send at least 2 questions to answer. You can decide how many of your children you’d like to answer questions about, and we make the whole thing as easy and simple as possible. Once answered, you get to see the answers from yesterday. The app rewards you with badges, points and a daily read about some aspect of parenting.

Who can join in?

We know that families and parents come in all shapes and sizes and hold no preconceptions about that. Anyone with parental responsibility for at least one child can use this app.

What’s in it for you?

As well as having a good nosey at what other parents think, the information can also be shared with people who can make changes that affect parents, for example school leaders or government officials, giving parents a powerful voice in important conversations.

Where can I find out more information?

The Parent Ping website gives you all the information you need.

And in case you were wondering…

75% of parents say that they have points in the day when no-one in the family is permitted to use a screen/internet device;
54% of parents think parenting is harder than when they were growing up; and
52% of parents got a lie in last Sunday!