That excitement has stuck around for almost two weeks and counting. My son loves tapping the round corner checkbox to complete his routine items. I do have to remind him sometimes that he hasn’t yet completed something, which prompts him to uncheck the box and complete the task with me, like putting on pajamas, and then running to check it off again. His favorite part is clicking all the tasks as done and seeing a shower of emojis (which change each time) rain down as recognition of a job well done. He likes to activate that congratulatory feature before he actually finishes the tasks, just to see it. Then he un-clicks the unfinished tasks so that he can make the emojis rain again upon actually finishing his list. I get the appeal—I wish my laptop’s Notes app did this when I finish my long to-do list each day.

Photograph: Nena Farrell

Video: Nena Farrell

If you have a Skylight Calendar, it’s nice that the Buddy syncs to it. This capability lets your kid alternate between where they physically check off their tasks—and all changes are reflected on both devices. This is convenient if you have a multi-floor layout, as I do, because running upstairs to check off a morning task may become more of a hindrance than a help.

Speaking of the larger Skylight Calendar, if you have one in your home like I do, I recommend opting into the Skylight Plus subscription. This gets you the photo frame feature, plus other capabilities, like rewards and meal planning. With the Skylight Buddy, a subscription gets you rewards, timers, and nudges, though the company shares that more subscription features are coming soon. Rewards are definitely handy for older kids who can earn stars for tasks and chores, but I just want my 4-year-old to get excited about completing the tasks. So far, he hasn’t needed any extra features to stay engaged, and he suddenly likes brushing his teeth so he can check it off his daily list.

The Skylight Buddy also has its own subscription, Buddy Plus, for $39 a year if you want those extra features but don’t have a Skylight Calendar. It’s cheaper than the Skylight Plus. The Buddy itself is available for $120 when you buy it with a free month of the Plus Plan, or $140 for the device alone.

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