If it’s true that necessity is the mother of invention then invention is the necessity of parents. How would we get by without gadgets? With increasingly busy work and kids’ schedules, you’re looking for the right tools to make your life a little less hectic. Here are a few that help us stay organized, entertain the kids, get food on the table, capture the precious moments and enjoy a little downtime. (Whew!)

The company that revolutionized search is out to change the way we organize with. iGoogle enables parents to integrate email, calendars, photos, documents and gather news from all their favorite outlets in one place. Google calendar can coordinate schedules and share with family members online.

From recipes to shopping guides, there are more than 15,000 “apps” for Apple’s iPhone. At your wits end to keep the kids busy? Try Kidtivities, an app loaded with more than 40 fun, educational activities, including reading, vocabulary-building exercises and crafts.

With cameras small enough to slip in your pocket, like Canon PowerShot A590 IS or Nikon’s Coolpix L18, you’ll never miss the first step. Google Picasa makes it easy to edit photos, share or process photos on sites like Snapfish, Shutterfly and Flickr. The Flip Mino mini camcorder is a practical alternative to the conspicuous standard-sized camcorder, allows for two hours of recorded time and comes in fun colors, too.
 
When you finally have a few minutes of quiet time, pick up where you left off in your novel with the Amazon’s Kindle 2 or Sony Reader. Both devices allow you to store your favorite books and take along your library wherever you go.