Shortly after, he sees them downstairs at the breakfast table, where a series of automated reminders ushers them through their before-school routine.

The alerts, set up using Google’s Family Bell and delivered through Nest speakers, reflect a lesson Bijvoets has learned: “They listen better to Google than to their parents,” he jokes.

Making your home a place where your family is well-rested, on time – and maybe even entertained – can be hard, especially when everyone is busy. Smart home devices, starting with a command centre like Nest Hub Max, can make it a little easier.¹ Here are some ways parents can bring in Nest products to help with their families’ regular habits.

After the Family Bell wakes the Bijvoets kids each morning at 7, they get out of bed, brush their teeth, and get ready for the day. Ten minutes before they need to leave for school, the Nest speaker in their kitchen alerts them to finish eating and get their bags and shoes ready.² Ten minutes later, the reminder feature lets them know it’s time for school, and they head out the door.

It’s not just automated alerts and announcements that can help get the day going. By adding other smart home devices, you can create ways to ease into the morning that make your harsh alarm clock a thing of the past. 

Using his Nest Hub, Kyle Wright has scheduled a smart light in his office to turn on each morning at 5:30 so the house isn’t pitch black when he gets out of bed. At the same time, the Gentle Sleep & Wake feature gradually brightens the lamps on either side of the bed, easing him and his wife out of sleep. “It’s great because it simulates the sun rising,” he says.

When they leave for the day, Home & Away Routines save time by turning down their Nest Thermostat, and also could conserve energy.

The Bijvoets family uses their Nest Hub to keep the kids on track. They get an alert 30 minutes before they have to leave for afterschool activities, reminding them to get ready. If the kids are coming and going by themselves or carpooling with others, a Nest Cam or Nest Doorbell can help parents know when kids come home from school.²

Bijvoets and his wife also like to regulate their kids’ screen time, setting timers on Nest Wifi for 30-minute watching intervals. On the weekends, their favourite playlist will automatically start playing in the morning. 

“It’s super for us as a family,” says Bijvoets. “My wife has set it up and it’s so easy to do so.”

At the end of the day, the Bijvoets kids hear a Family Bell alert 15 minutes before bedtime, letting them know it’s time to get ready for bed and brush their teeth. And their internet access is automatically paused at 8 p.m. so they can’t get online until the next morning. 

For Wright, the Google Mini in his three-year-old son Hudson’s room starts a custom pre-programmed routine when Wright says, “Hudson’s bedtime.” This shuts off the main light in the room, turns on the nightlight, and starts playing lullabies.³

“It’s nice to have that one phrase that triggers all these actions,” he says.