TL;DR: Singapore dad got tired of unsafe kid phones, endless homework
nagging, lost-in-translation helper instructions, and family info
scattered everywhere. So I built an app for it (Myna). Free, in private
beta, looking for honest testers. See it: https://myna-app.com — join
links at the bottom.
Confession first: I built an app, so yes, skin in the game, roll your
eyes, I’ll wait. I’m just a Singapore dad worn down by the same week on
repeat, who happens to be a bit of a geek (which my wife says is not the
superpower I think it is).
The tipping point was pickup. My girl finishes enrichment and I just
want her to call me, “Pa, done already, come fetch.” But giving a kid a
phone now means handing over the whole internet, every app, every
distraction going. I genuinely considered an old Nokia, then caught
myself. Tech is part of our kids’ lives now and I don’t want to be the
dinosaur dad pretending otherwise. I just wanted the call button,
without the rest of the internet riding along.
Then everything piled on. The endless nagging, mostly homework
reminders. The helper who says “ok sir” and then gets the instruction
wrong, half the time because it got lost in translation. A Google
Calendar that’s fine for two adults but totally blur to the kids, the
helper and a tuition timetable like a Changi departure board. And
family info scattered across Parents Gateway, the class chat, the
enrichment chat, and nobody’s head.
I tried the usual apps. Ended up with five that didn’t talk to each
other, and not one knew our helper existed. So I built my own, at night
instead of sleeping (yes, I fixed my screen-time problem by inventing a
worse one). It’s called Myna and it does three things:
- Turns a cheap Android into a safe phone for a kid: calls, messages,
location, and only the apps I allow. Nothing else. - A hub on the dining table (just a cheap tablet) so my younger boy can
call me when he wants instead of grabbing the helper’s phone, the
helper sees the day’s plan in her own language, and everyone sees
what’s on at a glance. - An AI “Aunty” who does the nagging for me, keeps one shared family
calendar, runs the shopping list, remembers all the family details I
can never keep in my head, and chats with the helper in her own
language, translating both ways.
It’s free and still in private beta, which is a nice way of saying
you’ll probably hit something broken. I’d honestly rather you find it
and tell me straight than I find out the embarrassing way after launch.
So be brutal, no need paiseh.
Want to try it? It’s free. Here’s how to join:
Android (best for a kid’s phone):
- Join the group: https://groups.google.com/g/myna-testers
- Then opt in: https://play.google.com/apps/testing/com.herbertchan.familyhub
iPhone: https://testflight.apple.com/join/saS5BtCh
See more about Myna: https://myna-app.com
Would love any feedback, thoughts or questions, good or brutal. Happy
to answer anything below.
Mods, I hope this is okay since it’s a genuine call for testers and not
a sale (it’s free, no ads). If it crosses the line, just say the word or
take it down, no hard feelings. 