KinPing
"Drank enough water?" is a small question with a big following among families who look after older parents from a distance. KinPing sends it once a day as a daily check-in for seniors, at a time you pick in their time zone, and the answer takes one tap.
Why families ask this question
Children living far away often want to know a parent is drinking enough, and do not know how to ask without sounding like a nag. A single question in the afternoon does two things at once. It is a small nudge, and the answer tells you they are up and about.
It is also a question nobody minds. It does not feel pointed. It is about a glass of water.
Who asks whom
- A son or daughter checking on an elderly parent who lives alone.
- A husband or wife checking on a partner while away.
- Staff or a friend checking on someone recovering at home.
The person asking picks the question and the time, and the person answering approves it once. Either side can pause, leave, report or block whenever they want.
How KinPing sends it
The ready-made time is daily at 4:00 PM, late enough that "Yes" can be honest and early enough to do something about "Not yet." It arrives at 4:00 PM where they are, whatever time it is for you.
If they have KinPing installed, the question appears in the app. If they do not, it arrives as a link in WhatsApp or SMS and opens in the browser. They see "Drank enough water?" in large type, then Yes, Not yet or Later. A note or photo is optional.
On your Today screen, shown above, each person's questions are listed with a yellow tick for answered, an empty circle for no answer yet, and a clock for "Later." There are reminders for questions waiting for you, and up to 14 days of history is kept per person.
Setting it up in the app
- Add the person and pick a label such as Mom, Dad or Someone else.
- Tick Drank enough water? in the ready-made list.
- Tap the time and adjust it if 4:00 PM does not suit them, in their local time.
- They see "wants to check on you," turn the question on, and tap Accept.
That is the whole setup. The question goes out every afternoon from then on.
Wording that feels like care
Water is a topic where tone matters more than content. A few ideas if you write your own version:
- Keep it light. "Drank enough water?" is friendlier than "Have you been drinking what you are supposed to?"
- Let "Not yet" be the useful answer it is. The question itself is the reminder.
- Do not pair it with a warning. A warning turns a check-in into a scolding.
If a parent bristles at the idea, let them look at the approval screen before you send anything. Seeing the exact question, and the switch to turn it off, often settles it.
What it is not
KinPing does not count glasses or track intake. It records the answer they chose and nothing else. There is no GPS tracking and no hidden mode. It is not an emergency service either. A missing answer may just mean a phone is off, so if you are worried, call them.
Find the rest of the ready-made questions on daily check-in questions for family or read how it works for the full flow.
Updated 2026-11-05.