Modern living is demanding. There are expectations of you no matter if you’re still in school or a full-time employee. It gets even harder when you’re a parent. The needs of your children are prioritized alongside all the current responsibilities you have.
Thankfully, modern inventions have given people multipurpose technology. Nowadays, gadgets are no longer considered a luxury but a necessity because they simplify applications in people’s lives, which makes things more convenient. If you have school-age children, it is imperative to provide them with useful gadgets because these play a vital role in improving their knowledge and skills.
However, not everyone can afford the latest and most high-end machines out in the market. It is important to be smart about money, and that is why you should go for gadgets that give you the best bang out of your buck.
Here is a list of affordable devices your children can benefit from.
Laptop
Back when laptops first came out, they were so expensive that only the elite can afford them. More recently, as competition for the PC market continues to grow, these gadgets have become more accessible. In fact, affordable laptops don’t mean they have the lowest specs or that they move at a snail’s pace. They actually have decent specs that are competitive and capable of schoolwork, entertainment, and even some light gaming.
A laptop is essential for school because more and more schools and even students themselves are opting to go paperless and take online courses. Instead of scribbling on notebooks, you can use a laptop to take notes and streamline everything in one gadget instead of lugging around tons of notebooks. As for teachers, more of them are giving out notes by emailing them to students instead of handing out photocopies. Not to mention, assignments and even tests are submitted online.
E-reader
While physical books are still a thing at school, there are digital copies available for purchase as well. It’s much more ideal to carry a digital e-reader especially if you have a full schedule in school because that will sometimes mean carrying your bag and books everywhere. It can be hard on your shoulders and back, even worse if you have back pain or are suffering from scoliosis.
There are e-readers that provide the best value. The starter editions work just as well as their most expensive counterparts do, so it is perfect if you’re working on a budget. Here are some choices you should check out.
Portable Chargers
Most portable gadgets run on limited battery, so chargers always come in handy for that. In the likely scenario where they need their gadget at a crucial time and there’s just no outlet in sight, portable chargers are there to the rescue. Not all power banks are built the same; there are those that have the most compatibility with almost all devices, but they may have a low charging capacity.
A portable charger is most efficient if it can charge multiple gadgets in a day and survive, but you also need to consider the bulkiness and size of your charger. Check out this article
to find out what you need to know before you buy one.
Backup Portable Hard Drive
Imagine this scenario: your kid is working on an important paper or project that accounts for more than half their grade for the semester, and then their effort gets wiped out because of a failing computer. It’s frustrating and enough to drive a grown adult to tears, even more so a student struggling to get their work done. It’s smart to save your work on a computer, but it’s even smarter to have a backup saved on a separate external hard drive.
What if the computer or laptop fails when it is needed most? That will mean the students have to start over from scratch. They will also look for ways to recover all their notes for other subjects, which can be time-consuming and nerve-wracking on finals week. That is why having a portable hard drive is a must.
Noise-Canceling Headphones
If your child is someone who requires total silence when they’re studying, a pair of noise-canceling headphones is a worthy investment. What about if they’re staying at a dormitory filled with other students or they need to concentrate on something in an inherently noisy place? Headphones always come in handy during those situations.
Headphones are normally used for listening to music or for when you want to watch a movie without disturbing anyone. The noise-canceling variant is on another level because it helps block out a lot of noise and distractions in general. It will give its wearer the ability to immerse deeply into whatever task they have on hand and work on it without having to worry about anything to cloud their thoughts.
Bonus: A Smartphone
If they don’t have one yet, a smartphone should be in order. Most parents get it. They want their children to grow up as they did, without distractions from the internet and social media, but during these changing times, a smartphone is more than just an “entertainment” gadget.
It can be scary to allow your child to have access to things on the internet, but a smartphone is inherently a communication tool they can use it to talk to you. In return, you can use it as a monitoring tool and to connect with them anytime you need to. You can educate them on proper use and boundaries, and ultimately, you know you’ve done your job as a good parent when they know how to limit their time in the virtual world.
What other affordable and useful gadgets do you think are useful for students? Share your answers below.
Ariana Michelle
Sam