How to keep up with the class WhatsApp group

Thirty parents, dozens of messages a day, and somewhere in there is the one about costume day on Friday. You don’t have to read every message to keep up.

1. Mute the group

Open the group in WhatsApp, tap the group name at the top, tap Mute notifications, then choose Always. Your phone stops buzzing for this group. Open it once or twice a day instead.

2. Star the messages that matter

Press and hold a message, then tap Star. To find it later, tap the group name, then Starred. The one about costume day stays in that list.

3. Search instead of scrolling

Tap the group name, then Search. Try words like Friday, bring, pay or the teacher’s name.

4. Write the plan down when you see it

If a message has a date, write the date, the time and what to bring on the fridge or in your phone’s calendar, before you reply or move on.

5. Ask for a weekly roundup

Many class groups have a parent rep. Ask if they can post a short list of the week’s dates every Sunday.

Or forward it to Origami

Origami is an iPhone app for busy parents. In Origami, tap Connect WhatsApp. WhatsApp opens with a message ready. Tap Send. Origami is now a chat in your WhatsApp. Forward it a text, photo or voice note, like you would to a friend.

Origami picks out the date, time, place and what to bring, and saves the plan in Origami. If something is unclear, it asks you. Only the messages you forward reach Origami. The rest of the group stays on your phone. Origami uses AI and can get a detail wrong, so you can change or delete anything.

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