This dad created an app that freezes your kids' phones until they answer your texts

Parents of teens know that cell phones can be a great way to keep in touch when their kids are out and about. That is, unless they get distracted and "forget" to respond, which leaves you in a state of panic. Luckily, one dad is here to help.

Nick Herbert created the app ReplyASAP after getting fed up with his son Ben ignoring his texts. The app takes over the phone's screen and sounds an alarm, essentially forcing teens to respond to their worrisome parents if they want to regain access to their phone. The app also notifies parents when their adolescent has seen their message.

"My son has an iPhone, but I still can't get hold of him very easily as it's always on silent because he is planning games or has been at school and forgotten to turn the sound back on," he explained to GoodHousekeeping.com. "There didn't seem to be a solution out there that allowed me to send a message to him, that would override the silent function, appear over whatever he was doing and tell me when he had seen it."

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