If you’re juggling kids’ sports schedules, church callings, your own college classes, and a job (or two), welcome to the club. I’m a mom of teenagers. That means I am a full-time scheduler, reminder-sender, and logistics manager. For years, I was loyal to Google Calendar. It served me well through babies and diapers, but once my kids all had iPhones and our family dynamic shifted into high gear, I made the switch to iCalendar, and I haven’t looked back.
Here’s why.
1. iCalendar Syncs Seamlessly with iPhones—No Extra Apps Needed
All of us are on iPhones, and iCalendar is already built in. No need to download or teach another app. It integrates beautifully with Apple Reminders, Siri, iMessage, and even widgets on your home screen. When I put something on the calendar, it shows up instantly on my teens’ phones. Each kid sees what’s coming, and I don’t get a million “what time is practice?” texts every week. (I even have a calendar for my dinner plan so they know what’s for dinner each day.)
Create a shared family calendar and color-code it.
-
Blue = Family
-
Red = Child 1
-
Green = Child 2
-
Purple = Dinner Plan
- etc…
Tip: Use this 15″ digital wall calendar that syncs with iCalendar to display your family’s schedules!
2. Reminders Can Be Categorized by Work, School, Home + More
Google Calendar doesn’t integrate to-do lists very well, but iCalendar and Apple Reminders work hand in hand. You can categorize tasks into custom reminder lists for school, home, work, errands, church, etc.
Here’s How to Set Up Reminder Categories:
-
Open the Reminders app
-
Tap “Add List” in the bottom corner
-
Name it (e.g. “School,” “Work,” “Chores”)
-
Choose a color and icon to make it easy to spot
-
Add reminders to each list—and set due dates, priorities, even locations
So now when I tell Siri, “Remind me to email the Relief Society president,” she files it under Church, not next to “Buy dog food” or “Pick up Eli from piano.”
Tip: You can also share lists (like “Chores” or “Groceries”) with your family, just like calendars. Great for assigning tasks or tracking who actually did the dishes.
3. Siri is Basically My Assistant Now
When I’m driving or elbows-deep in laundry, I just say:
“Hey Siri, remind me to call Sister Jensen tomorrow at 9 AM”
And it gets added to the right list, on the right day.
If you’re not using Siri with your calendar and reminders, you’re working too hard.
4. Smart Alerts + Travel Time = Fewer “I Forgot” Moments
You can add locations and travel time to your calendar events. That means the calendar will remind you when to leave, not just when to be there.
Here’s how:
-
When creating a new event, tap “Add Location”
-
Scroll down and toggle on “Travel Time”
-
It’ll calculate your commute based on traffic
Perfect for sports drop-offs, dentist appointments, or even temple sessions.
Tip: Use Apple AirTags in your teen’s gym bag or music case so you’re not driving back across town for a forgotten cleat (been there).
5. Everything in One Apple Ecosystem Just Works
Before, I was switching between Google Calendar, Google Tasks, Notes, and a reminder app. Now? iCalendar + Reminders + Siri + iCloud = everything I need in one clean system.
No more tech fatigue. No more “Which app did I put that in?”
A Few Bonus Tips:
-
Use “All Day” events to block off things like birthdays, Sabbath rest, or “no-plan” days
-
Add PDFs, photos, or links to calendar events (like sports schedules or Zoom links)
-
Use the month-view Calendar widget on your Home Screen for a quick glance
-
Batch your reminders by context: errands, work tasks, family duties
-
Set default alerts under Calendar settings to avoid missed events
Switching to iCalendar simplified my family’s life. It was like finding out your minivan had a secret built-in fridge the whole time, you just weren’t using it right. It’s intuitive, fast, and already in your family’s hands.
If you’re managing a busy family, and everyone’s already in the Apple ecosystem, don’t overcomplicate it. Embrace what’s already at your fingertips.
Follow Becky on Instagram and Facebook!
