@Mandamomma 

When you flip the switch to off you are cutting power to the bulbs.  When power is cut the product and its connection to the wifi are lost.  This is why you are unable to get the products to respond to the app or voice through Alexa.  Just as if the bubls were plugged into a lamp you must maintain the flow of power to the device for it to remain on and connected to the internet.  Even if the bulb is phyically off it is still drawing enough power to keep its wifi module and connection the cloud server up and operational.  So the solution is to stop using the switch and control the lights via your app/widget or voice assistant. 

@Carl "Even if the bulb is phyically off it is still drawing enough power to keep its wifi module and connection the cloud server up and operational."

I was hoping that was true. That makes it sound that if you flip the light switch back on everything should be fine. But it's not. I have to reconnect the lightbulbs each time the switch is flipped to get them to work. 
 

Training a family of 7 to not use the switch is difficult. I guess I'll have to tape the switch to the on position or return the bulbs. 

@Mandamomma 

By phyiscally off I mean as the light is not on.  The power flow still needs to be there though so the switch would need to remain in the on postion for the bulb's wifi and cloud features to remain active.  Sorry if i confused you there.