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Category archive: 13-18yrs (teen)
08 May 08 | Comments: 17
Jen in Toronto loves her blue tape! For good reason: We use painter's tape a lot around our house, and we take a roll with us when we travel. It makes a great impromptu electrical outlet cover. We use it...
Guest post at Savvy Source: Ten easy Parent Hacks for "greening" everyday life with kids28 Apr 08 | Comments: 0
In honor of their April theme, "It's Easy Being Green," I wrote a guest post for the Savvy Source blog, Being Savvy. In it, I point to ten Parent Hacks that focus on reusing household items in creative ways. Thank...
Free Cone Day at Ben & Jerry's is tomorrow!28 Apr 08 | Comments: 4
They're handing out free ice cream cones at Ben & Jerry's Scoop Shops tomorrow. It should be a national holiday.
Amazon Friday sale 4/25/08: Fitness ball, swim diapers, Victorinox25 Apr 08 | Comments: 0
Parenthacker-friendly picks in today's packed Amazon Friday sale : More Huggies Little Swimmers disposable swim diapers (size Small, 16-24 lbs, two 12-count packages) for $14.99 (25% off). Lots of Parenthackers have talked about how versatile a fitness ball can be...
PC.com: When your kids know more about your computer than you do23 Apr 08 | Comments: 12
Before kids, I was a writer of computer books of the how-to variety . How does a relatively non-tech person qualify as technical book author? By sending a proposal for a "teach yourself HTML" book to publishers in 1996, back...
Keep track of medicine dosage by writing on the foil pack22 Apr 08 | Comments: 3
We've had so many good suggestions for how to keep track of medicine dosages. Here's Stacy's, specific to pills that come in little foil packs: I can never remember whether pills that need to be taken daily (antibiotics, etc) have...
Four Parent Hacks for a nag-less morning routine22 Apr 08 | Comments: 8
Have you met Vanessa Van Petten? Talk about "most likely to succeed!" She's an incredibly motivated blogger about the teen perspective and the author of the parenting book “You’re Grounded!” I first came across her writing in a guest post...
Easy supper: Chicken Taco Mac and Cheese20 Apr 08 | Comments: 5
Amyaus sent this in as a busy weekday recipe, but I think it's perfect for a lazy weekend supper, too. Good for the crockpot! It's that time of day when your child is clingy, crying, all around too much for...
Amazon Friday sale 4/18/08: Magnifying desk lamp, prep bowls, diapers18 Apr 08 | Comments: 2
Here are my picks in today's Amazon Friday sale : If you've got any small-parts builders or modelmakers in your home, this desk lamp/magnifier would make their projects go a whole lot easier. Great for budding scientists, too. It's $29.99...
A keepsake journal "triples" as travel entertainment, art preservation, and a grandparent gift15 Apr 08 | Comments: 9
Jennifer's smart, simple idea for capturing some of her daughter's spontaneous art: My four year-old loves to draw and color. I found one way to preserve her art -- by giving her a journal book full of blank pages. We...
Word choices can take the sting out of a disagreement14 Apr 08 | Comments: 18
Sara is teaching tact and open-mindedness early: Can a word be a hack? If it can, I propose "mistaken." We've introduced this one to our 2 year old, and it just feels right. We use it to admit we are...
Amazon Friday Sale 4/11/08: Lots of good stuff!11 Apr 08 | Comments: 1
Lots of good stuff showed up in today's Amazon Friday sale ! (Sale prices last through today only.) Remember manual carpet sweepers? Little rotary brushes inside pick up debris just by getting pushed back and forth over the floor. I...
Family Fluxx: The best Friday game night we've had in a long time05 Apr 08 | Comments: 21
We're a family of board- and card-game players, and Friday evening usually finds us huddled on the floor playing something-or-other. Our kids are 8.5 and 4.5 (one reads, one doesn't) so it's not always easy to find games that are...
Best of Parent Hacks: Garden fever03 Apr 08 | Comments: 3
Sun! Warmth! Flowers! It's all happening around here, and I'm dancing a little jig in my back yard. Last year, the kids and I scattered a single packet of mixed seeds (encouragingly named "Children's Garden") and got a whole patch...
Up to 50% off Kids and Family DVDs at Amazon01 Apr 08 | Comments: 2
Amazon's having a great Kids and Family DVD sale ...and not just the duds that you wouldn't consider buying! I found several favorites in the mix: Mrs. Doubtfire (PG-13 with some mature themes, but SO funny and a great conversation...
Cookie sheets keep the countertop clean during bulk sandwich-making31 Mar 08 | Comments: 11
KS found a clever way to further streamline lunch prep: I am learning to love mass production of packed lunches. One thing particularly pesky is the crumbs left on the counter after sandwich assembly. Enter the cookie sheet! Ahh –...
Oft-forgotten germ spreader: lip balm!21 Mar 08 | Comments: 8
Lisa's on the germ hunt: My family has been passing the cold bug around to one another. So I've been trying to catch all the ways that our germs are spreading (buying new toothbrushes, careful with sharing cups etc). I...
Bug Bam bracelet repels mosquitos safely18 Mar 08 | Comments: 7
Deb passed along this kid-friendly alternative to chemical mosquito repellant: My little girl can't stand having anything on her skin, including sunscreen, and I hate coating her in toxic bug repellents. But she's one of those mosquito-magnet types. So now...
Attune Wellness bars: Chocolate + probiotics = mmmm04 Mar 08 | Comments: 8
In what may be the most delicious PR pitch ever, I recently received a box full of Attune Wellness bars and an accompanying email that suggested them as a good on-the-go snack hack. In my experience, energy bars (or protein...
Video game addiction. Talk amongst yourselves.26 Feb 08 | Comments: 40
We are the happy owners of a Nintendo Wii. We fit the demographic to a T; the kids play a bit in the afternoon, and then Rael and I fire up Guitar Hero after hours. (I made a full confession...
Parent Hacks: The Zen Habits Collection26 Feb 08 | Comments: 0
As part of our guest post swap, Leo Babauta asked me to choose twenty of my favorite tips and write them up as a post for Zen Habits. "Favorite" is impossible to capture because there's more wisdom and good will...
Tie video game time "currency" to chores25 Feb 08 | Comments: 11
Rich is a man after my own heart: My kids were addicted to their video games and would give us attitudes when we asked them to do chores. So we fixed that right away: we put the kids on a...
Pencil cup as toothbrush holder25 Feb 08 | Comments: 5
The Hengsts have a solution for those fat, character toothbrush handles that don't fit into the holes of a regular countertop toothbrush holder: We have the problem in our house that kids' toothbrushes don't fit in the traditional toothbrush holders...
Use the coffeemaker to heat water for quick oats19 Feb 08 | Comments: 3
Stephanie's found a safer way for her son to cook his own breakfast: My 9 1/2 year-old son loves oatmeal for breakfast every morning. He's old enough to want to do things on his own but not old enough to...
Valentine hack: Valentine's Day "mistletoe"13 Feb 08 | Comments: 0
What a cute idea -- from Katy: Valentine's Day is all about showing love. So don't forget giving an extra dose of hugs and kisses at home. Cut 2-3 hearts out of construction paper, string them up anyway you like,...
Valentine hack: How to make heart-shaped cupcakes without a special pan12 Feb 08 | Comments: 4
12 Feb 08 | Comments: 0
Fran's got a fantastic twist on handmade cards: Type Valentine's Day phrases and symbols in a Word document in various colors - with the line-spacing set at 2-3 inches apart. Add images of the kids' faces and crop or size...
Valentine hack: Pancakes with powdered sugar hearts10 Feb 08 | Comments: 2
Pamela's sweet Valentine's breakfast is a treat for the whole family: I like to do something special for my family first thing in the morning, so I make pancakes and then put a heart template on top of one before...
Valentine hack: Cut out magazine "lipstick lips" to make a kissy collage09 Feb 08 | Comments: 0
Jennifer's hack makes the sociologist and media critic in me jump for joy: I like to gather all those beauty mags (that now gather dust since having kids) and cut out all those fabulous shiny lips on all the make-up...
Valentine hack: Homemade chocolate roses are easier than you might think08 Feb 08 | Comments: 6
What a lovely idea -- great for older kids who get a kick out of using the stove. From Leah: My students do a fundraiser every year for Valentine's Day by making candy roses and selling them. It's actually a...
Valentine hack: Gift cards for teachers07 Feb 08 | Comments: 5
Michelle's adapted a popular holiday teacher gift for Valentine's Day: My newest favorite thing to do (for teachers and camp counselors and bus drivers and all of those people you want to recognize but don't want to spend too much...
Valentine hack: Heart-shaped cookie cutters are useful for more than cookies05 Feb 08 | Comments: 1
Zed's shares the versatility of the humble cookie cutter: Nothing is a better investment for Valentine's Day than heart-shaped cookie cutters in various sizes. Aside from the many craft possibilities, they instantly make boring food seem like Fancy Valentine's Food,...
Super Bowl Sunday: No crowds at the usual weekend family hot spots01 Feb 08 | Comments: 7
I trot this Super Bowl hack out every year, but it's such a good one! From Jay: I've noticed that a lot of people are into this whole "football" thing, which means they'll be at home (or a bar) watching...
Tips for RV travel with kids? Talk amongst yourselves.30 Jan 08 | Comments: 8
Tiffany asks: We plan to rent an RV to travel with our 4 yr old and 7 yr old during Spring Break this year. Beyond your typical travel tips (we've traveled quite a bit in their little lives), I would...
Hack request: Send us your Valentine's ideas!29 Jan 08 | Comments: 15
I usually start thinking about Valentine's Day on about February 10...too late to have a relaxed class valentine-making session with my kids. But this year is different! We've got our red construction paper and fancy scissors all ready to go....
Toddler-friendly tofu26 Jan 08 | Comments: 25
People forget that tofu is fantastic toddler food. It's white, bland, nutritious, and can "hide" in all sorts of other foods. Here's Kristen's suggestion: Trying to get your baby to eat tofu? Stick it in miso soup! You can buy...
Sylvania power failure lights do double duty as night light and flashlight25 Jan 08 | Comments: 1
Regina has a great solution to "how do you find the flashlight when the power goes out and it's dark?": Recently, you were asking what we do when the power goes out. For Christmas, my folks gave us a package...
Storing girls' hair accessories? Talk amongst yourselves.23 Jan 08 | Comments: 33
Suzy wonders: Have you heard any good hacks for how to store girls' hairbands? They are a tangled mess in the drawers. You can't put up 20 hooks on the walls, right? What can be done? This seems like a...
Swim shirt doubles as a winter underlayer23 Jan 08 | Comments: 2
So smart! From Katherine: Don't forget you can get another season's use out of that sun-proof swimming shirt from last summer! Remembering the outdoors-persons' motto "cotton kills," I wanted to put a layer of non-absorbent material against my boy's skin...
Kitchen timer: Multi-purpose tool of the gods!22 Jan 08 | Comments: 21
We've talked before about how helpful a timer can be in all sorts of parenting situations. I really liked the way Katy (author of Adventures in Parenting) expanded on the examples, so I thought it would be a great time...
Instant s'mores20 Jan 08 | Comments: 7
Thanks a lot, Debi. Now I feel the irresistible urge to run to the grocery store for fixin's. My 4 yr old daughter wanted a "marshmallow sandwich" for dessert and had her own crazy ideas of how she'd make that...
Make a week's worth of school lunches17 Jan 08 | Comments: 8
Cynthia's batch lunch prep makes so much sense, it's a wonder we aren't all doing this. We have to bring lunch to daycare 3 days a week. I used to struggle with getting lunches ready in the morning, and with...
Swaptree: Declutter and get free stuff at the same time15 Jan 08 | Comments: 3
Decluttering and reducing consumption are really two sides of the same coin. So it's nice when you come upon a service that helps you do both. Swaptree is a website that allows you to swap your books, CDs, DVDs, and...
Bedtime sore throat soother: Warm milk and honey14 Jan 08 | Comments: 17
Coughs abound this time of year. Here's Melissa's soothing remedy: Here's a great way to soothe a sore throat without having to resort to medicines.... Microwave a mug of milk as you would to make hot chocolate. But instead of...
Clementine crates as toy storage13 Jan 08 | Comments: 6
Reuse those clementine crates! From Mason: In the winter, my family of three goes through a crate of clementines about every two weeks. Instead of just throwing away the little crates, I have started using them for storing my two-year...
Shred wrapping paper to use as gift bag filler25 Dec 07 | Comments: 1
From the Hengsts: We shred our used wrapping paper to use as filler in gift bags. Our kids love to help us get the paper ready to put into the shredder. If the pieces are too big, they get to...
Spread out the gift-opening to keep Christmas morning manageable24 Dec 07 | Comments: 8
Another holiday hack from Mel, who seems to have the realities of holiday logistics well thought-out: I know everyone has their own treasured and time-honoured family traditions, but....since we have one young child and an older child who is easily...
Color code gift tags to streamline distribution from under the tree24 Dec 07 | Comments: 5
Mel's gift tag hack (for those of you madly wrapping gifts tonight): I had the kids make tags for Christmas gifts out of plain cardstock. We store all the gifts under the tree until they're ready to leave the house...
Make a pomander or an ornament out of an orange21 Dec 07 | Comments: 1
Mmmm, smells good. From Katherine: Take one orange (or clemantine, or whatever... but full-size oranges smell nicer) and stick whole cloves into it, pointy end through the skin. You can lay these out to make a picture, or abstract lines,...
Working at home while the kids are on holiday break20 Dec 07 | Comments: 5
Guest post by our friends at Work It, Mom!, a wonderful community site for working moms. School vacation is fast approaching and daycares are getting ready for their holiday break -- which means that if you have to get some...
Movie-inspired dinners: Ratatouille19 Dec 07 | Comments: 4
Rosemary's story gives us eggplant-lovers hope: With all this talk about sneaking healthy food into our children's meals, the Disney/Pixar movie Ratatouille provides us a wonderful opportunity to get our kids eating healthy without all the trickery. I started making...
Alternative trading card games: Xeko and Bella Sara19 Dec 07 | Comments: 57
It's easy to forget that trading card games are actually games, not just collections of tradable pieces of paper. And while Pokemon, Yu-Gi-Oh!, Magic the Gathering and the rest dominate the field, two trading card games attempt to go in...
Tie-dye tissue wrapping paper18 Dec 07 | Comments: 9
As promised, Melissa's instructions for creating gorgeous tie-dye wrapping paper out of plain white tissue. This looks easy enough for young toddlers, and the results are stunning. Thank you, Melissa!
Fitness First exercise ball winner!12 Dec 07 | Comments: 1
What fantastic ideas you shared for staying active indoors when the weather outside is frightful. Highlights: Dance parties Hullabaloo (we like playing this, too) Tag Pillow fights Obstacle courses and mazes Let your kids follow along with your exercise routine...
Super Woobee winner!12 Dec 07 | Comments: 1
Congratulations, Jessie! You win the Super Woobee! I guess the rest of us are going to have to return a few gifts so we can buy our own. Because who can resist a product that can do all these things?...
Craft paper makes cheap, recyclable wrapping paper11 Dec 07 | Comments: 21
I've finally accepted that I just can't deal with wrapping paper. As much as I love beautifully-wrapped gifts, I can't abide buying paper that's meant simply to be ripped up and thrown away. I've used newspaper in the past, but...
The most luscious baby blanket you get to keep for yourself10 Dec 07 | Comments: 170
Parents deserve blankies, too. We're out there, fending for our kids, trying to keep all the plates spinning and the tummies full, getting pulled in opposite directions, all on little sleep and less recognition. Sometimes we just need to curl...
"Cookie of the Month Club" makes a great holiday gift10 Dec 07 | Comments: 7
I love Heather's idea for simplifying holiday gift-giving: This year, we are trying to find the perfect gift to give those who have everything. It can't be too expensive, too hard to travel with, and we want it to somehow...
BabyLegs: More than just baby leg warmers06 Dec 07 | Comments: 146
Baby leg warmers? Who would think that such a simple, obvious idea would be such a godsend? Nicole Donnelly, apparently. Not only did she come up with the idea to keep her daughters' legs warm during "nakedy time," she has...
How to encourage family conversation around the table06 Dec 07 | Comments: 4
Suzy's got a great hack for holiday mealtimes and beyond: During the holiday season there are many occasions to gather around the table. Consider this game that encourages children and adults alike to share about their day as well as...
Softies: A craft book for the (relatively) non-crafty05 Dec 07 | Comments: 117
Ok, so this book called to me from the front table at Powell's City of Books. I happen to have a little thing for items made of felt. I don't sew, I don't craft (really), but something about the bold...
Laundry room pegboard holds missing socks05 Dec 07 | Comments: 2
Gisela's answer to the Riddle of the Missing Sock: I can't take credit for this hack; I read it somewhere, but I've forgotten where. I used to keep a drawer full of socks missing their partners after doing the laundry--I...
Simple holiday traditions04 Dec 07 | Comments: 0
What a pleasure it has been to read about your favorite simple holiday traditions! The music, the cards, the food, the tree, the Menorah, the candles, the Advent calendar, the dreidels, the neighborhood light displays...it was enough vicarious warmth to...
Featured find: Flip Video Camcorder29 Nov 07 | Comments: 7
I love watching videos of my kids, but I hate dragging out the video camera. I find that inserting a camera between myself and the experience often turns me off to taking videos in the first place -- which is...
Simple, beautiful Hanukkah crafts29 Nov 07 | Comments: 2
Hanukkah's next week! But you've still got time for some lovely crafts (if crafts are your thing). Check out Amber's Hanukkah crafts at the always-fabulous Kids Craft Weekly. Toblerone chocolate box as a template for a Star of David stamp?...
Use del.icio.us to track gift ideas29 Nov 07 | Comments: 4
If you're not already using a social bookmarking service such as del.icio.us, consider signing up for an account. So easy to use, so useful. I used del.icio.us to build my daily link roundups, and as a way to for us...
Motion-sensing switch takes over when kids forget to turn off the lights28 Nov 07 | Comments: 13
We are huge fans of the motion-sensing light switch in our house! From Ellen: My kids seem unable to remember to turn off the bathroom light. We use compact fluorescent bulbs, so the power usage is trivial, but it's a...
Bar cookies save trips to the oven (and burned cookies)26 Nov 07 | Comments: 3
Jill from Atlanta shares the practical realities of baking cookies with little kids in the house -- worth keeping in mind given that holiday cookie-baking season is right around the corner: I love baking cookies with my kids. But the...
Helping an anxious child get to sleep20 Nov 07 | Comments: 12
Rachel has a lovely, gentle way to help her anxious daughter prepare for sleep: My first grade daughter has recently begun having anxieties about bedtime. She lays down and remembers all sorts of bad thoughts about the day, which tend...
Cheap indoor entertainment on dark rainy evenings? Talk amongst yourselves.19 Nov 07 | Comments: 29
Stephanie asks: I have a friend at work who has an 12-year old step-son and a 2-year old son at home. Now that it's dark after work, she can't take the boys to the park to play. The family lives...
How to remove those annoying paper wristbands17 Nov 07 | Comments: 3
I HATE those wristbands! Thank you for this, Duane! You know when you go to the water park and they give you those paper bracelets that are specially made to tear to pieces if you try remove them, so you...
MotherTalk review: The Daring Book for Girls16 Nov 07 | Comments: 39
By now you've certainly seen the turquoise cover of The Daring Book for Girls sparkling on the bookstore feature tables and the bestseller lists and the morning shows and YouTube and the blogs. Whereas The Dangerous Book for Boys was...
Give kids pill-swallowing practice with Red Hots candies16 Nov 07 | Comments: 11
Another brilliant hack from veteran Parenthacker Jill (and it's yet another way to use up your kid's Halloween M&Ms): The tequilla shot medicine hack made me remember having to learn to take pills when I was a kid. Because Sudafed...
Easy "fruity nutty" oatmeal13 Nov 07 | Comments: 3
Megan's hack may inspire our breakfast this week... My well-meaning partner bought a huge bag of dried fruit and nut mix thinking that it would provide a handy snack for our 14-month-old son. Of course our son hated it and...
Deceptively Delicious: A Parenthacker sneaks and tells12 Nov 07 | Comments: 25
We recently talked about all the controversy surrounding the release of Deceptively Delicious, the cookbook that advocates hiding vegetables in kid-friendly food. When I asked for Parenthackers' first-hand tales, JT wrote this gem of a sum-up: My guess is, if...
Amazon deal: Half Century of Hits DVD sale12 Nov 07 | Comments: 0
Amazon's got a clever promotion going on now: the "Half century of hits" DVD sale . Movies from every decade from the 50s till now, including classics we grew up with (Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Planet of the Apes --...
"Build your own" dinners simplify meals for folks with allergies12 Nov 07 | Comments: 4
Shauna's DIY dinner hack: My son and I have several food allergies while my husband and daughter do not, so to avoid making three different dinners every night, we've implemented one or two "Create Your Own" nights. We use pita...
Note monthly class payments in your calendar09 Nov 07 | Comments: 5
Here's how Kirsten remembers those pesky class fees: Now that my daughter participates in a couple of activities (dance and piano) that require monthly payments, I've started writing the amount due on the calendar for the first class of the...
Use excess Halloween candy as cookie ingredients08 Nov 07 | Comments: 8
Excess Halloween candy. Is there any other kind? Jeff's hack won't exactly reduce the sugar consumption in your house, but perhaps you can bake up a few batches and freeze them for the holidays? Or foist them on your coworkers?...
Create a visual inventory of kid clothing purchases07 Nov 07 | Comments: 4
I was stunned by the Linda's smarts on this one: I like to shop online for great bargains on clothes for my kids at the end of each season and put things away for next year. However, in the thrill...
The Daring Book for Girls is out!03 Nov 07 | Comments: 6
If you'll recall, we had a fascinating discussion after my review of The Dangerous Book for Boys...touched off by the question: what about girls? Ladies and gentleman, I give you... I have a review copy of The Daring Book for...
Quick, homey warmed apple slices03 Nov 07 | Comments: 9
My son and I had an hour at the bookstore the other day, and I found myself thumbing through the recipes in Kids Cook 1-2-3. It's a lovely cookbook full of three-ingredient recipes kids can make themselves...pretty inspiring for time-challenged...
Red popsicles help reduce the trauma and drama of a bloody lip02 Nov 07 | Comments: 6
Dave has discovered a perfectly good reason to keep the freezer consistently stocked with Haagen-Dazs bars: Hersch did a face plant and bit his inner lip pretty badly. There was a lot of blood and he wasn't up for letting...
Use Twitter as a baby-album-of-sorts02 Nov 07 | Comments: 5
Kim uses Twitter as a repository for baby memories: If you don't already know, Twitter is kind of a blogging/chat/texting hybrid. Its main appeal is convenience: you can update it via the Web or IM software or through cute little...
Halloween hack: Baby lotion takes the face paint off31 Oct 07 | Comments: 2
Kelly's hack came in just under the wire! I bought my daughter some of the face paint "markers" they have at the grocery store this time of year. She had fun getting her face painted and then painting my face...
$10 instant rebate on health bars ends today31 Oct 07 | Comments: 10
In case you're looking to offset the candy consumption (or are a bulk buyer of health bars), Amazon's offering a $10 instant rebate on selected Clif, Luna, Odwalla, Larabar, and Probar bars The deal ends today: buy $39 worth, and...
Halloween hack: A "trick" to help kids remember to say 'thank you'31 Oct 07 | Comments: 6
Julie's hack is tough, but it works for her family. Last year I got so tired of having to remind my kids to say "thank you" at every house that this year I told them every time I had to...
Is hiding vegetables in food deceptive?29 Oct 07 | Comments: 41
I've been mildly amused by the debate swirling around Jessica Seinfeld's new cookbook, Deceptively Delicious, which is built on the premise of getting vegetables into kids by hiding them in kid-friendly foods. The book is a popular hit (no doubt...
Glow stick fun (potential Halloween hack?)28 Oct 07 | Comments: 12
Rachel didn't specifically connect this hack to Halloween, but I am...could be a fun giveaway! To all you parents who haven't tried these yet (or lately). Glow sticks are fun!! I know it seems like a big "duh," but every...
Amazon Friday Sale for 10/26: Huggies Overnites, Mr. Clean Magic Erasers26 Oct 07 | Comments: 1
On sale at Amazon, today only: Huggies Overnites size 5: $19.99 for two 27-count packs (that's about .37 per diaper if you keep track of these things). Keep in mind that Huggies are on their way to a price increase...
Household chores meet online gaming: Chore Wars26 Oct 07 | Comments: 2
This takes the advice to "turn work into game!" to new heights. From Sarah: I wanted to let you know of a cool website I found that helps my husband and I get work done around the house without arguing...
Halloween hack: Tootsie Pop ghosts as decoration and hand-outs26 Oct 07 | Comments: 2
Amie's hack makes me want to run out and buy Tootsie Pops! I love that these simple little decorations can double as the Halloween handout. I just bought my annual ginormous bag of Tootsie Pops and realized other parenthackers might...
This will help you feel good about your child's Halloween costume24 Oct 07 | Comments: 6
Mom: Honey, what would you like to be for Halloween this year? Spiderman? Captain Jack Sparrow? Or maybe you can still fit into that Buzz Lightyear costume we got you a couple years ago? Kid: Yeah, uh, I want to...
No-spill car breakfast: oatmeal in an insulated mug24 Oct 07 | Comments: 5
I discovered this while camping, and then again while rushing out the door to get my late-risers to school: oatmeal is the ideal on-the-go breakfast, especially when served up in an insulated travel mug. Oatmeal stays hot, can be eaten...
Halloween hack: Give toys instead of candy23 Oct 07 | Comments: 27
One way to avoid leftover candy is to avoid candy altogether. Says Judi: No candy at our house. Stickers or doodads from Oriental Trading instead! Anything leftover goes into the arts and crafts bin for use throughout the year. Bonnie...
How to have an allergy-free Halloween22 Oct 07 | Comments: 9
Several of you commented on the difficulty of managing the Halloween treats when your kid has a peanut allergy (or any other type of food sensitivity for that matter). Here's another place to look for good ideas: How to have...
Halloween hack (redux): Save leftover candy for holiday gingerbread houses21 Oct 07 | Comments: 4
Maribel reminded me of a past hack we used with great success a couple years ago: use leftover Halloween candy for holiday gingerbread houses. Tags: Halloween
Halloween hack: Cut the jack-o'-lantern hole in the bottom of the pumpkin17 Oct 07 | Comments: 15
Give Rob a pat on the back for this brilliant pumpkin-carving hack! So smart. We learned a couple of years ago what we think is the best idea for carving a pumpkin: cut the hole from the bottom not the...
Calm coughing without medication15 Oct 07 | Comments: 18
With infant cold medicine being pulled from the shelves, and the safety (and usefulness) of regular cough medicine in question, it's good to have a few cough-suppressant hacks up one's sleeve. Here are Christiane's: Our oldest son (of three children)...
Keeping Lego sets organized: Ziplocs and cookie sheets12 Oct 07 | Comments: 26
It was my son's birthday last week, and he got two wonderful Lego building sets. Of course, his first inclination was to rip open the boxes, dump the contents on the floor and start building -- which was fine, except...
Dry erase marker on the bathroom mirror: an all-purpose noteboard09 Oct 07 | Comments: 9
It's cold season again and, right on schedule, we're all sniffling around here. So was Tiffany and her family, and here's how she kept track of all the medicine doses: My entire family was sick last week (me, my husband...
Rubber bracelets as sippy cup ID label30 Sep 07 | Comments: 9
Meghan's found yet another use for those stretchy rubber/silicone bracelets: I stumbled upon this hack last year while visiting Disney World. The hotel we stayed at had a deal where you could buy a cup for a set price, and...
iPod photos distract wiggly toddlers29 Sep 07 | Comments: 5
Margot's hack proves, once again, that you have more than enough justification to buy an iPod. I noticed the spate of iPod hacks. I have another semi-hack. I keep some family pictures on my iPod nano, which can't show movies....
Malt vinegar as vegetable "dip"28 Sep 07 | Comments: 6
Kids surprise you in their food preferences. My kids (aka Finicky 1 and Finicky 2) reject entire categories of food, and yet will eat almost anything from a Chinese, Japanese or Thai restaurant (something about soy sauce). For that reason,...
Free(ish) family business cards simplify playdates and more26 Sep 07 | Comments: 16
Business cards are handy for the non-businessperson, too. From Shawna: Our family uses VistaPrint to order free business cards with all of our contact info. The cards are free when you pay for shipping, so they work out as a...
IKEA: Real furniture kids can build24 Sep 07 | Comments: 4
From the Obvious department: IKEA recently came to Portland. Cause for city-wide celebration! Free child care! Swedish meatballs for less than a buck! And (oh yeah) cool, cheap furniture! But there's more. My almost eight year-old son is always looking...
Keeping delicate fruits unbruised in lunchboxes22 Sep 07 | Comments: 2
We're making the most of late summer fruit with a peach or nectarine going to school in someone's lunch almost every day. Problem: ripe fruit often gets mushy and bruised from the inevitable roll around the lunch box. Solution: place...
Arrange groceries in the cart so cold and frozen items get bagged together21 Sep 07 | Comments: 20
Teri's good-thinking grocery hack: When I go grocery shopping with my toddler, I keep the cold or frozen items together in the cart and at checkout. That way, I end up with nicely sorted "cold" bags. (The items keep each...
Another way to stir natural peanut butter20 Sep 07 | Comments: 10
We've discussed how best to stir natural peanut butter before, but Nathan's got another idea: If you are into buying all-natural peanut butter (ingredients: peanuts, salt) you know that there is a half inch or more of oil at the...
Intercoms as baby monitors20 Sep 07 | Comments: 2
Nothing like multi-use gadgets. From Jason: When I had an office in the basement, my wife and I bought a pair of intercoms at Radio Shack so we didn't have to shout back and forth. It turns out that these...
Cheapass Games: For the true cheapass, they're free19 Sep 07 | Comments: 6
Another Rael find! Cheapass Games -- imaginative, simply-produced board, dice, and card games (and even a few computer games). From the site: Cheapass Games come with the bare essentials: boards, cards, and rulebooks. If you need anything else, we'll tell...
LibraryLookup makes searching your local library easier than ever18 Sep 07 | Comments: 4
My bookshelves and wallet have begun to groan under the weight of our book buying habit, so I'm making a point of using the library. I'm fortunate that my county's library has a wonderful online lookup system, but my smart...
Do rewards kill motivation? Talk amongst yourselves.18 Sep 07 | Comments: 14
Thanks to a recent Lifehack.org post, I just read an Alfie Kohn article (written in 1993) about how rewards get in the way of intrinsic motivation. Some of you have mentioned Kohn's name in the comments before, but I've never...
Mashed beans disappear into chili16 Sep 07 | Comments: 10
Adrienne's mom understood the power of a diversion: I don't have any children of my own (soon!) but checked out your website after reading about it in Maclean's. Had to share this little tidbit from my own childhood. When my...
Joe's Goals doubles as an online behavior reward chart15 Sep 07 | Comments: 2
I wrote about the goal-tracking app Joe's Goals last year, but Kathryn suggests its as useful for older kids as an online star chart/sticker chart: I ran across a tool called Joe's Goals, and the minute I hit the site...
Keeping sliced apples from browning14 Sep 07 | Comments: 12
Andrea's hack would work as well for lunchbox-toting schoolkids: My 17 month old, always a good eater, finally showed an interest in eating fresh apples, peel and all. Since it's much easier for her to hold a slice, I've been...
Keep track of friends' street addresses and locations with Google Maps13 Sep 07 | Comments: 9
Miss Zoot's hack is the best use of Google Maps I've heard about in a long time: Every time my son gets invited to a friend's house or a party, or if I even just pick up someone to take...
Meal orders reduce the morning madness11 Sep 07 | Comments: 13
I hope Laura's triplet daughters know how good they have it! In the mornings before school, there are so many decisions to make. What to eat for breakfast, what snack to take to school, what to have for lunch. These...
Real Simple Family: full of good hacks04 Sep 07 | Comments: 11
I couldn't resist -- Real Simple Family -- a special issue of the lifestyle mag Real Simple -- found its way into my shopping cart this afternoon. It's full of good hacks, including taping a few unused board games together...
Set up a homework station to make afterschool assignments easier01 Sep 07 | Comments: 4
Melanie's tips for setting off on the right foot with homework: I’m a teacher as well as a mom. A good homework hack is to have a place or station set up where your child can do homework. Have pencils,...
Homework tips? Talk amongst yourselves.31 Aug 07 | Comments: 22
Jill from Atlanta had a wonderful idea: while I get back on my feet posting-wise, how about a little open discussion about homework tips? Most of us are likely in the grace period before the big-time assignments, so let's talk...
Nonslip shelf liner keeps tablecloth from slipping21 Aug 07 | Comments: 19
Leah's hack would simplify craft time at our house considerably: Oilcloth tablecloths are excellent - they're durable, bright and wipe clean when the kids inevitably spill on them - but they slide around a lot. I put rubberized shelf liner...
Kid-friendly kitchens help even the youngest pitch in19 Aug 07 | Comments: 17
Heather wrote up a fantastic post on her blog, Oh My Stinkin Heck, about encouraging kids to help in the kitchen by making it more accessible to them. Really, the topic is much bigger than that -- it's about honoring...
Encouraging the next generation of hackers14 Aug 07 | Comments: 10
From Sara: I suspect that many Parenthackers, like me, have their antenna constantly up for "how can I teach my kids to love computers like I did when I was a kid" (for me, that mostly means programming). Since Josie's...
Coffee sleeve makes frozen drinks easier to handle07 Aug 07 | Comments: 3
Art's hack should be posted at all quick-mart checkout counters: With warm weather upon us the requests by my children for the {insert brand name}ee frozen drink of choice at the local convenience store has risen with the temperature. Along...
Consistent front-back swimsuit color makes kids easier to track in the pool06 Aug 07 | Comments: 8
Richard's hack is one that would never become apparent unless you're in the situation: I made the mistake last year of buying my son a set of swim trunks that are red on the front, but black on the back....
Martha Stewart (and staff): Parenthackers?04 Aug 07 | Comments: 7
There's a fine line between the hacker-ish DIYers and the stylish crafters. Case in point: the Martha Stewart Omnimedia folks got in touch to tell me about Good Things For Kids, a new special issue of on newsstands now. It's...
Presto Printing Mailbox: Send email and digital photos to offline relatives03 Aug 07 | Comments: 50
Grandpa wants regular updates and photos of the kids but doesn't have (or want) a computer or an Internet connection. How to bridge the generation/technology gap? Presto's solution is delightfully simple: plug a Presto Printing Mailbox in at Grandpa's house,...
Setting up family cell phones for emergency contact03 Aug 07 | Comments: 8
While your older kids are out and about this summer, being able to get a hold of each other in case of emergency becomes crucial. For those kids who use mobile phones, Betsy's suggestion makes good sense: * Make sure...
Extra shower curtain rod as swimsuit drip-dryer03 Aug 07 | Comments: 11
A timely hack from the Hengst family: Put an extra shower curtain rod in your shower to hang wet towels and swimsuits from in the summertime. The water drips right into the shower and not on the floor. If you...
Can you clean a computer keyboard in the dishwasher? Talk amongst yourselves.01 Aug 07 | Comments: 27
Sally wonders (as do I): Slashdot had a story about a successful dishwasher sanitizing method for keyboards. Apparently, they have more bacteria than a toilet!!??!! But I’m not sending this to fuel the fears of the germ-o-phobic – I’m more...
You're reading this? I figured everyone's reading Harry Potter!21 Jul 07 | Comments: 19
It's the day half the world's been waiting for: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is out, and kids and adults everywhere are holed up in beds, on couches, and in sunny corners reveling in their last few hours at...
Geography lessons no one can resist20 Jul 07 | Comments: 3
Michelle (author of the wonderful blog Scribbit) came up with a brilliant way to teach her kids about geography. This would be a wonderful way to build excitement for summer travel. To help teach my kids about the world around...
GeekDad: Watch live bugs under a blister microscope16 Jul 07 | Comments: 0
I've got a new post up at GeekDad about the fantastic blister microscope -- our new gadget for spying on live bugs.
Cut grapes into mini-bunches08 Jul 07 | Comments: 17
Discovered while preparing for my daughter's 4th birthday party (which I'm doing RIGHT NOW): When serving a bunch of grapes to a group of kids, cut it into "mini-bunches" of 5-8 grapes each, then pile them in a bowl. The...
Laminate summer camp packing lists04 Jul 07 | Comments: 8
Aliza's hack would also work well for back-to-school supply lists (not that anyone's thinking about school right now): My daughter has been going to camp for the last couple of years. Each year the camp sends me the same packing...
Uses for clothespins28 Jun 07 | Comments: 13
Paul says: Use spring clothespins to close up any bag you like (chips, cereal, etc.) Right! Why do we spend money on big plastic "chip clips" than never stay closed? We've used wooden clothespins for some cute craft projects. Amber...
Underwear packaging makes ideal flash card storage21 Jun 07 | Comments: 6
So many products come with promising outer packaging -- I'm thinking sheets and larger bed linens. Sharon came up with a good use for the thick plastic packaging in which underwear is sold: I love to find new uses for...
Confirm they heard you with "Got it" instead of "OK"19 Jun 07 | Comments: 22
Mary pointed out a semantic trap I've fallen into several times, even with older kids: When explaining things to my two year-old, I often find myself wanting to say, "OK?" at the end, so he can respond. That way I...
Replacing car headphones less expensively18 Jun 07 | Comments: 5
Craig's money-saving tip: This maybe a premature tip (and I don't know if this is a 'hack' per se), but you know those wireless headphones used in minivans and SUVs and such? Well, when our boys broke a couple of...
Fun toilet cleaning? Use baking soda and vinegar!18 Jun 07 | Comments: 7
Proving once again that a Parenthacker can make anything interesting, Beth came up with some toilet-cleaning entertainment: Not quite a super trendy hack, but something I thought was pretty fun even for adults! I was researching some more earth friendly...
Use email as a searchable appointment database13 Jun 07 | Comments: 9
Wifezilla has found a handy use for her email's "search" function: We just moved to the Pittsburgh area and had to set up new doctors, pediatricians, dentists, etc. I found that I was always losing the piece of paper that...
Essential "dangerous" skills for boys and girls? Talk amongst yourselves.11 Jun 07 | Comments: 69
Silly me! I've got a perfectly lovely copy of The Dangerous Book For Boys sitting here waiting to fly into the hands of one lucky Parenthacker! My intention was to give it away in conjunction with my interview with author...
How to tie knots in balloons without sacrificing your fingers09 Jun 07 | Comments: 3
Here's how Lisa kept her digits intact during a marathon balloon-knotting session: Our children’s elementary school puts on a BBQ Fun Day that uses 1,000 air balloons. I volunteered to blow up 200 balloons. I knew that my fingers would...
Interview with "Dangerous Boys" author Conn Iggulden06 Jun 07 | Comments: 7
By all accounts, The Dangerous Book for Boys is a hit. The book has been all over the Internet (there's even a YouTube "preview"!), and made a showing on The Colbert Report. I reviewed the book last month, and, from...
Blog book tour: The Kids' Book Club Book30 May 07 | Comments: 52
Parent Hacks is part of the MotherTalk book tour for The Kids' Book Club Book (email mess be damned!). This book is a great resource for kids and parents alike, especially with long summer days ahead. Here's a complete how-to...
Pinpoint public playgrounds along your road trip route23 May 07 | Comments: 13
Mike found a great resource for road trip fun: Cool new website called Waymarking.com, which pinpoints the location of all sorts of attractions such as historical markers, covered bridges, etc. One of my favorite categories is public playgrounds. It doesn’t...
Preview family movies without sitting through (or paying for) them twice23 May 07 | Comments: 5
Just in time for the summer movie season, inconsequentia's hack for checking out movies before taking the kiddies: We've long been looking for a way to check out some aspects of certain films before deciding whether to take the children...
Momergency kit: What would you pack?23 May 07 | Comments: 12
Lifehacker tipped me off to the Momergency Kit: a bag of goodies intended to deal with the inevitable broken purse strap or slow-moving line. Several Parenthacker favorites appear in the kit: a Sharpie, a carabiner, hand sanitizer, Ziploc bags. What...
Via Toy Box: Toy storage they won't outgrow22 May 07 | Comments: 3
Just yesterday, a company I'd never heard of, Via Toy Box, booked a small ad on Parent Hacks (see it right there in the right-hand sidebar?). I always visit potential advertisers before I accept their ads, and I was immediately...
Improbable dessert: Apple Pie a la Mode drink21 May 07 | Comments: 4
Fun dessert the kids and I shared tonight. Because I had a bit of leftover cream: APPLE PIE A LA MODE DRINK From Moosewood Restaurant New Classics 3/4 cup apple juice 1/4 cup cream 1 teaspoon sugar dash of cinnamon...
Movie adaptation of children's books? Talk amongst yourselves.19 May 07 | Comments: 11
Margaret says: Sarah and I watched this great adaptation of The Secret Garden (directed by Albert Grint with a Colin Firth cameo at the end!). I'm sure there's lots of other adaptations of children's books out there that are done...
Strawberry basket as bubble blower17 May 07 | Comments: 3
It's strawberry AND bubble season! From Serrina: New hack, courtesy of Pat in my office. Pat just gave me a bunch of old green strawberry baskets. Dip them into a plate of bubble solution and swing them in the air...
Send your used toys to children in Iraq17 May 07 | Comments: 6
Updated 8/07: The toy drive is back on! Two of Edmay's comrades have taken over her role, and are accepting toy donations. send your donations to: Michael Fellenz or Natalie Sudman USACE-GRS APO-AE 09331 7/30/07 update: Edmay's toy drive is...
Print your own "screen time" tickets14 May 07 | Comments: 3
Prompted by Mel's ticket-for-TV-time hack, John of Flagrant Disregard, fd's Flickr Toys, and LetterPop fame designed these lovely tickets. Even better, he's made them available for download and printing! Awesome.
Gardening hack: Pay kids a penny per weed14 May 07 | Comments: 15
Future Parenthacker Adam (that's how he signed the email!) brought back childhood memories of hot afternoons spent weeding: We don't have kids yet, but my wife and I both experienced this hack as children and intend to use it ourselves...
Hotel matchbooks help lost kids on multi-city trips12 May 07 | Comments: 4
Margarita's simple but powerful travel hack: A recent hack reminded me of something my dad used to do when we travelled. As kids we travelled a lot with them and often to several cities in one same trip. This made...
Happy to Be Nappy DVD models tolerance and empathy10 May 07 | Comments: 5
From my good friend Jonathan: What a wonderful opportunity to entertain and educate your children all at the same time in this diverse and engaging HBO production. Happy to Be Nappy is a show that my family stumbled upon one...
Shoe organizer in the coat closet keeps gloves and accessories within reach04 May 07 | Comments: 8
Tracy's hack works just as well for warm weather accessories: sunglasses, caps, swim goggles... How to keep gloves, scarves, hats, dog leashes easy to find? Hang a shoe organizer on the inside of your coat closet door. Assign a row...
Photo contact sheets contain perfect tiny locket pictures03 May 07 | Comments: 4
Eliz found a great use for photo contact sheets: When you need a TINY picture for a project or for your daughter's first locket, I've found that the perfect solution is the contact sheets many photo developers now provide, especially...
Simplify general cleanup with bulk bar towels30 Apr 07 | Comments: 10
Elizabeth's cleanup tip: Kids of all ages are messy and the best thing I have found to help with the battle is a bulk package of white terry cloth towels, sometimes called bar towels. I usually get them at Costco...
How to cook hard boiled eggs perfectly every time29 Apr 07 | Comments: 11
Sunday breakfast, courtesy of Duane: I love it when the kids want boiled eggs in the morning. Much more nutritious than a Pop Tart. But not exactly the speediest thing to cook on a school day. Here are my tricks...
Make your own decorated wall clock28 Apr 07 | Comments: 2
Never underestimate the resourcefulness of a Parenthacker. From Marisa: I found an adorable "elephant stampede" clock online for $39.99, plus shipping and fell in love with it. I listed as a gift idea for my baby shower, updated the wishlist...
Fearless Friday: Fear is my companion27 Apr 07 | Comments: 2
Arianna Huffington's recent book, On Becoming Fearless...In Love, Work, and Life, is now out in paperback. To commemorate the occasion, Mother Talk is hosting Fearless Friday, and I'm happy to participate. I never really knew fear until I became a...
TV Turnoff Week: What's your plan?23 Apr 07 | Comments: 25
It's TV Turnoff Week, and parents all over the country are shaking in their boots wondering what life without "screen time" will look, sound and feel like. I'm one of those parents. Compared to the national stats, we don't watch...
Avoid overdue fines with a library basket19 Apr 07 | Comments: 15
Megin of GNMParents on keeping track of library books: We go to the library almost weekly. Between the 3 kids and myself our library bag is overflowing when we leave. For a long time it was common to lose track...
Turn office printouts into school scratch paper19 Apr 07 | Comments: 6
A recycling reminder from Karen: My work generates a lot of printouts that are only used for a day, are non-confidential, and are single-sided. When we're done with them, I take the paper to my son's day care and they...
Toward less perfectionist parenting17 Apr 07 | Comments: 11
Take a moment to ponder Cathy's assertion: My philosophy is, if you don't set the standard too high in the beginning, you can really save yourself some trouble later on. Examples: from the time that they were babies, I didn’t...
Track medical history with Excel16 Apr 07 | Comments: 7
Kelly's hack makes me realize that I'm doing a better job tracking my car's maintenance records than our own health history: I started taking note of my kids' medical histories when my oldest was a wee guy, but in notebook...
When does parenting get easier?11 Apr 07 | Comments: 10
Fascinating discussion going on at The Juggle about which parenting years are the hardest. I find myself crawling toward the end of my day, bone tired, and when I finally make it to bed, I'm asleep in minutes (my kids...
Homeschooling: How to start11 Apr 07 | Comments: 31
I admit: I've had my biases and prejudices against homeschooling, but I've come to see that my attitude has more to do with my lack of knowledge than any real, rational data. Just about every homeschooler I've met, locally or...
What to do with empty plastic Easter eggs08 Apr 07 | Comments: 22
Don't throw away those plastic Easter eggs! Save up a couple of egg cartons and store them for refilling next year. Or use them as part of your kid's play kitchen, grocery store or farm. I'm sure you've got more...
Seventh Generation diaper deal at Amazon04 Apr 07 | Comments: 1
Angie of Baby Cheapskate kindly pointed out that Amazon is running one of its famous promotions for Seventh Generation diapers and other products -- $20 off $99 worth. The deal applies to more than just diapers and wipes -- you...
Getting marks off of Easter shoes04 Apr 07 | Comments: 6
Here's how Rachel keeps the Easter outfit bright and shiny: My two year old daughter wore her new Easter shoes to church yesterday. They are adorable white leather Mary Janes that cost a pretty penny and are supposed to last...
Make an ice pack out of hair gel or corn syrup31 Mar 07 | Comments: 4
Kara's first-aid hack: Use frozen hair gel as an ice pack (I’m fond of bright pink Dippity Do). Squeeze some into a quart- or snack-size Ziploc bag and toss it in the freezer. You should use corn syrup instead of...
Track medicine dosage with a reusable chart30 Mar 07 | Comments: 1
Here's how Shauna avoids double-dosing: To give long-term medicines without the confusion of who gave what to whom and when, make a simple calendar on the computer (with days only -- not dates) and laminate. [You could also slide the...
Use a dry erase board for the family grocery list29 Mar 07 | Comments: 14
Stu (who's now one of the editors of GNM Parents -- did you know that?), took some of the guesswork out of grocery shopping for older kids: I was having trouble getting my kids to go to the market with...
Can rewards for good behavior backfire? Talk amongst yourselves.28 Mar 07 | Comments: 0
There's a good discussion going on in the comments of "How to use a star chart to encourage good behavior," interestingly enough, kicked off by an editorial tussle. We're now talking about how rewards can backfire; how kids' natural feelings...
Up to 70% off selected toys at Amazon28 Mar 07 | Comments: 1
Amazon's having a spring toy sale -- if you've got birthday presents to buy, now may be a good time to do it. Up to 70% off selected toys . [Thanks for the pointer, David!]
Athletes: Chocolate milk is as effective as sports drinks27 Mar 07 | Comments: 10
Bill passed along some good news for the little sports fans: A "Healthy Living" article in the March/April 2007 issue of Midwest Living cites a 2006 study from Indiana University that found chocolate milk equal to or better than sports...
DIY cookbook for families with food allergies22 Mar 07 | Comments: 7
Here's how Amber's keeping track of the recipes that fit her family's dietary needs: My family has a lot of food sensitivities, so I work really hard at trying to find as many varied (but not too strange) recipes that...
LED faucet light "changes water color" when too hot18 Mar 07 | Comments: 4
Stormy, Shelley, and Michael all wrote to me about this water temperature gadget at ThinkGeek: I'm not sure how much of a hack this is as it requires buying a gadget - but for us gadget lovers, that's never a...
Plush toys double as travel pillows09 Mar 07 | Comments: 2
Tricky road trip trick! (Tricky road trip trick, ticky road tip trick, tippy road trip tick...okay, so I have a weakness for tongue twisters. Try it on your kids five times fast.) From Kirsten: The best travel pillow ever. On...
Favorite books about kids and money? Talk amongst yourselves.09 Mar 07 | Comments: 11
J. D. at Get Rich Slowly just posted 25 of the books he'd choose to build a personal finance library. He included three books that deal with teaching kids about money and entrepreneurship: What Color is Your Piggy Bank?, You...
Apple Youth Workshops: Mac-centric multimedia education07 Mar 07 | Comments: 1
Apple's offering free hands-on "Youth Workshops" across the country in March and April. Kids get to play around with Garage Band, iMovie and iPhoto to create their own songs, movies, and photo projects. Isn't Apple sweet? Be sure to register...
Massive collection of free software for kids05 Mar 07 | Comments: 12
KidsDomain has compiled an incredible list of PC and Mac freeware for kids of all ages, including the "keyboard bangers." [Via Lifehacker]
Get kids excited about travel04 Mar 07 | Comments: 1
As you get ready for Spring Break, think about building some travel anticipation into the planning. Many kids enjoy trips more when they know what to expect at their destination. With that in mind, I was happy to get Carolyn's...
Lunar eclipse tonight!03 Mar 07 | Comments: 5
This just in from Margaret: Here's something parents and kids might find fun. Tonight there will be a lunar eclipse, in which the moon passes between the earth and the sun. The refraction of the sun's light will make the...
The two Dr. Seuss books that changed my life02 Mar 07 | Comments: 26
Today is Dr. Seuss's birthday, and kids all over the country will be donning their red-and-white striped construction paper hats to celebrate (at least that's part of the festivity at my son's school). I'm not exaggerating when I say that...
Toyinstructions lets you throw away your toy manuals02 Mar 07 | Comments: 2
For those of you who agonize about saving the instructions from your kids' toys and games, or who've stumbled onto vintage toys at garage sales, the folks behind Z Recommends have create a new site: Toyinstructions. This is site is...
Cornstarch gets Vaseline out of hair28 Feb 07 | Comments: 6
Lisa of Lil Duck Duck says cornstarch gets petroleum jelly, Vicks Vaporub, and other oily, sticky substances out of your kid's (or your) hair. Details on her blog.
OXO Good Grips hacks the mango27 Feb 07 | Comments: 20
We're mango lovers around here, but I often end up wasting half the fruit trying to properly cut it into slabs for my kids to eat. I discovered this clever gadget at the grocery store yesterday: the Oxo Good Grips...
Airborne: Does it help your family avoid colds?25 Feb 07 | Comments: 32
We're battling the round-robin rhinovirus around here...the cold that infects one kid, then another, then me. It seems that no amount of hand washing, Purell, or general voodoo is keeping us healthy. All except for one of us...my husband. He...
Win a YoonKid from Cool Mom Picks21 Feb 07 | Comments: 3
Discovered today at the lovely and talented Cool Mom Picks: YoonKids -- adorable, customized wall art depicting girls in all sorts of cool roles such as astronomer, reader, and and guitarist. Get over there today for a chance to win...
"Scrub" toothbrushes and toys with denture cleanser tablets21 Feb 07 | Comments: 8
Soni ("A devoted, albeit child-free, reader") offers this cleaning advice: To clean toothbrushes, I put them in a clean pasta sauce jar or some other container where I can cover them with hot water, drop in a denture cleaning tablet...
Turn leftover meat and pantry items into an easy, hearty soup19 Feb 07 | Comments: 4
Sara's soup recipe takes minutes to throw together, is made up of pantry items, and can cook all day in a slow cooker. Mmmm. One of my default ways to use leftovers is to turn it into soup. Here's my...
Lead in vinyl lunchboxes: A bigger problem than we first thought19 Feb 07 | Comments: 13
Some time ago, we talked about the presence of lead in some soft vinyl lunchboxes. The topic came up again for me based on this GNM Parents post -- apparently the Consumer Product Safety Commission statement I cited in my...
Getting kids cooking17 Feb 07 | Comments: 2
We've got the kids' cookbooks covered...what next? Dori Young of Kids Cooking offers this advice if you're not sure where to begin: I feel that your kitchen is the ideal setting to teach and learn. Kids respond to learning through...
Ze Frank can babysit my kids any day16 Feb 07 | Comments: 3
I'm perhaps one of the last people to find out about Web star Ze Frank, host of the daily video blog the show. Lifehacker turned me onto his wonderful riff on procrastination. Funny, smart, and all that. I'm hooked. Of...
Your picks for the best cookbooks for kids14 Feb 07 | Comments: 1
I never knew there was such an array of kids' cookbooks out there! Thank you for sharing your favorites, along with some great stories and memories of your own childhood cooking experiences. I also appreciated that several of you forgo...
Make a last minute Valentine t-shirt13 Feb 07 | Comments: 2
Pam to the rescue! The activity center at www.hp.com has 2 free Valentine’s iron-ons available to print. Because we don’t need any chocolate, and because money for flowers is better spent on diapers these days, I printed one that my...
Soft-close toilet seat prevents slamming13 Feb 07 | Comments: 1
Did you know there is such a thing as a soft-close toilet seat? No more SLAM SLAM SLAM (especially in a house with a few kids), and little fingers are safer, too. Great for those who are potty training, when...
Turn valentines into placemats13 Feb 07 | Comments: 9
From Heather: As kids, my brother and I would take our stacks of valentines from our school parties and turn them into a holiday placemat by arranging them between two sheets of clear contact paper. We did the same thing...
Hanes ComfortSoft: I'll never buy another brand of boys' underwear12 Feb 07 | Comments: 13
I never thought I'd get evangelical about underpants, but here it is. Regular boys' briefs generally come with scratchy elastic waistbands -- they always gave my son uncomfortable red welts on his waist no matter what size he wore. No...
A twist on "I'll count to three!"09 Feb 07 | Comments: 14
Kaylen challenges the classic "I'll count to three!" parental threat: When my son was little and I was teaching him to count, he realized that there are numbers after three. One day I told my son I would give him...
Quintura's search engine for kids08 Feb 07 | Comments: 3
Yakov Sadchikov, co-founder and CEO of Quintura, got in touch to tell me about his company's new search engine for kids called (duh) Quintura for Kids. There are other kid-friendly search engines out there (summed up in 2005 by Danny...
Easy cheese "crackers"07 Feb 07 | Comments: 13
For the toddlers and the low-carbers, from my very smart cousin Leslee: Cheese chips with all the taste, none of the guilt! Place 4 slices of Kraft American Cheese (I use 2% milk) on a piece of parchment paper. Microwave...
Wishlist.com consolidates gift registries07 Feb 07 | Comments: 3
Apropos of our recent conversation about store-based gift registries, Brian's hack came up in my queue. He recommends Wishlist.com as a more flexible alternative to a registry tied to a single store. Tags: Birthdays, Parenting, Wishlist.com
Super Bowl Sunday: a great day to go out with your kids03 Feb 07 | Comments: 2
Last year at this time, Jay pointed out that Super Bowl Sunday is a great day for the unsporty to visit museums and attractions that are usually packed on weekends. Tags: Parenting, Super Bowl
How much time with your kid is enough?03 Feb 07 | Comments: 12
There's a fascinating discussion going on at the Wall Street Journal blog The Juggle about how much time working parents can and/or should spend with their kids. Is one hour per day enough? Two? I've been reading the comments, many...
Homemade macaroni and cheese -- easy as boxed (redux)01 Feb 07 | Comments: 18
Now that Annie's Homegrown macaroni and cheese has been outed by Salon as just as bad for you as its blue-box nemesis, I thought the time was right to resurrect a post that appeared here some time ago: my "recipe"...
Bulk quesadillas31 Jan 07 | Comments: 2
Maggie's got lunchtime covered with her recipe for bulk quesadillas. Reminds me of the streamlined peanut butter sandwich hack that appeared here last summer. Tags: Lunch, Quesadillas
What to do when matzo ball soup lacks balls31 Jan 07 | Comments: 11
I'm vegetarian, so my "Jewish penicillin" isn't chicken soup. It's Manischewitz matzo ball soup, straight out of the box. Ahhhh, warm comfort for sick kids. Problem is, the matzo balls are gone long before the soup. In my best thrifty-housewife...
Those little voices in our heads start with our parents26 Jan 07 | Comments: 2
My friend Morgan gathered a few people last night to help him brainstorm ideas he's been developing for his life coaching practice, and I was among the lucky participants. One of the questions that came up: Exactly whose are those...
Free printable folded paper toys25 Jan 07 | Comments: 5
Print, fold and play! That's the idea behind the beautifully designed paper figures at Readymech. [Via Babygadget] Tags: Parenting, Printables, Readymech, Toys
Fixing bleach stains with Sharpies24 Jan 07 | Comments: 8
In a brilliant reverse hack, Donna actually wants to draw on her clothes with colorful Sharpie permanent markers: We have bleach problems. We can't figure out which one of us ("Mom" or "Dad") keeps using bleach in the laundry but...
Parentography: Social networking meets family travel23 Jan 07 | Comments: 4
Launched today: Parentography, a new site where families can share their travel tips and reviews. I've been in touch with one of the founders, Tim Ludwig, for quite some time (he's submitted his share of hacks), and I'm really excited...
Use Photoshop to clean up your baby23 Jan 07 | Comments: 8
Zac of Baby Roadies posted a couple impressive examples of how a little Photoshop retouching can greatly improve baby pictures. Ugly car seat warning labels? Errant spitup? Gone with a flick of the cursor. If only it worked in real...
Getting organized: Streamlining paper flow16 Jan 07 | Comments: 7
When I get a hack like this, which is so obvious in its simplicity, I wonder why I struggle with all the paper flying around my house. From Sarah: I have a small bin that holds hanging files. I keep...
Road trip potty break? Use chain hotel lobby restrooms15 Jan 07 | Comments: 8
Here's how Jeff of Out With The Kids manages the frequent pit stop requests: Next time your child calls out "Gotta Go!" - bypass the shady rest stop commode, port-a-potty and the dingy, dimly-lit gas station and their billy-club keychain,...
Getting organized: Keeping the toys from taking over the house15 Jan 07 | Comments: 12
Especially now, when the holiday haul collides with our desire to simplify, some toy anti-proliferation hacks are in order. From Kirsten: The best thing you can do about kids/toy organizing is have a play room, I think. I know that...
20 minute dinner: Clear-the-pantry chili14 Jan 07 | Comments: 1
My last 20 minute dinner post (Pasta with creamy marinara sauce) prompted Shannon to send in her recipe for kid-friendly chili, which has the benefit of coming together in minutes from items almost exclusively found in your pantry. It takes...
Wrap-n-Mat: reusable sandwich wrapper and placemat12 Jan 07 | Comments: 7
I was loitering in the offices of Values of n the other day when friend and code wizard David produced from his backpack, with great pomp and flourish, a tidy little fabric packet. He was obviously excited about it, although...
How to skip the previews at the beginning of the DVD12 Jan 07 | Comments: 10
I can hear the cries of "Hallelujah!" from here, thanks to Christian's DVD hack: Ever get frustrated with all the garbage loaded at the beginning of a DVD? [Um, yes. -- Ed.] Do you find it annoying how you usually...
Random epiphany about finicky kids11 Jan 07 | Comments: 15
Last night I made a salad of romaine lettuce and grapefruit segments for Rael and me to have with our dinner. Thing is, I've never liked grapefruit. Hated it, in fact. Until now. For some reason, while I was grocery...
Embellish your kid's Crocs10 Jan 07 | Comments: 8
I can't say I'm a fan of Crocs -- those brightly-colored plastic clogs that seem to have taken over the footwear universe. Obviously I'm in the minority, however, because I see them year-round here in sloshy Portland. They are undeniably...
How to teach your kid to use a sewing machine08 Jan 07 | Comments: 4
Andi passed along this link at One Hour Craft on how to teach a child to use a sewing machine. Perfect motivation for sewing those holiday gift bags! Are Australians just extra-crafty, or what? Tags: Parenting, Sewing
Sew simple gift bags out of sale fabric, and lose the wrapping paper for good05 Jan 07 | Comments: 13
No doubt you're holiday'd out, but this hack will save sanity and trees later this year. I'm no seamstress, but, from what I can tell, this is easy enough for anyone to do (although a sewing machine would certainly speed...
Use your "My Pictures" folder as your screen saver for a continuous family slideshow04 Jan 07 | Comments: 9
Toni left this as a comment on "Flickr as kid entertainment," but I thought it should also get the loving attention of the front page: I love this idea but am also concerned about the occasional surprise. To avoid this...
Clearance ornaments make good craft supplies03 Jan 07 | Comments: 2
I was just at Cost Plus yesterday, and I noticed a decent selection of clearance-priced (75% off) Christmas ornaments that had nothing to do with Christmas. Most of them were hand-sewn Indian fabrics or beaded decorations -- perfect for use...
For when kids don't wanna do their chores: the List02 Jan 07 | Comments: 2
It's all Stu all the time! Stu 24/7! 100% Stu! Seriously folks, the contributor of the #1 Parent Hack of 2006 continues to share his encouraging advice...this time about older children who protest the having to do household chores. The...
Simplifying kid's room cleaning02 Jan 07 | Comments: 10
"Clean your room" can be an overwhelming request when the mess is big and the kid is little. It's so easy to get distracted by a rediscovered toy...it's so hard to figure out where everything goes...I'm hungry... Here's a hack...
Because reindeer need their carbs, too24 Dec 06 | Comments: 2
Julie's family doesn't stop with cookies for Santa: We make reindeer food for Santa's reindeer to snack on when he stops at our house. In a bowl, mix rolled oats, glitter (this is what helps the reindeer fly), cookie sprinkles...
3-D snowflake templates22 Dec 06 | Comments: 3
I recently saw elaborate versions of these 3-D snowflakes hanging at our local science museum. WikiHow explains how to make them. [Via Blogging Baby] Tags: Crafts, Holidays, Paper snowflakes
Nifty gifty: Leapfrog FLY Pentop Computer21 Dec 06 | Comments: 6
Those of you who've been hanging around here for a while know I'm a fan of Leapfrog toys. My kids have enjoyed them starting when they were babies (LeapStart Learning Table) and the love affair has continued (LeapPad, Leapster, and...
Brickfactory: for those of us who lose the Lego instructions18 Dec 06 | Comments: 1
Via Blogging Baby comes an excellent pointer to Brickfactory, an archive of scanned Lego kit instructions dating all the way back to 1958. Nostalgia, baby! Tags: Lego, Toys
Tape the gift receipt to the present before you wrap it18 Dec 06 | Comments: 1
Your friends will thank you. Tags: Birthdays, Gift-giving, Holidays
Cut wrapping paper scraps and seasonal catalogs into paper snowflakes18 Dec 06 | Comments: 1
Sunny offers a new twist on a classic holiday hack: the paper snowflake. Great way to pass the blustery vacation days: I've been cutting out snowflakes for the last week and a half. This has been a learning process in...
Kiddley guest post: Planning for the holidays17 Dec 06 | Comments: 0
I was thrilled when Claire asked if I'd like to guest post at Kiddley...I'm such a fan of her beautiful, useful site. It's Monday in Australia (her home), and I was going to share my post with you on American...
Toys to Iraq: Look what you've done...16 Dec 06 | Comments: 2
I received the best gift in the mail last week: an actual paper letter from Edmay in Iraq. In it she thanked us all for the incredible response to her appeal for toys for the children of Iraq. She also...
Tips for passing the time with kids15 Dec 06 | Comments: 3
Today's my kids' last day of school before the winter holidays. With two weeks of free time head, I thought it an ideal moment to point to Gretchen Rubin's recent "Wednesday is Tip Day" post at The Happiness Project: Tips...
Clementines: the ultimate in kid-friendly citrus13 Dec 06 | Comments: 11
'Tis the season for clementines -- those adorable (some might even say darling) seedless mandarin oranges that often come in five-pound boxes. Grab yourself some: not only are they delicious, full of germ-fighting Vitamin C, and festive when piled in...
Nifty gifty: Photojojo Photo Blocks13 Dec 06 | Comments: 2
Waaaay back in May (when the sun was still shining in Portland...sigh...) I wrote about the fantabulous Photojojo's photo blocks how-to. For those of us who need a little prodding in the DIY department, Photojojo now offers a photo block...
Bidding at Her Bad Auction opens today13 Dec 06 | Comments: 2
When people ask me why I'm so excited about blogging, I tell them "because of the community." Some look at me askance, as if I'd just admitted I picked up my husband in some seedy chat room. But tell me...
Memory scrapbook teaches kids to journal13 Dec 06 | Comments: 0
Shell's idea could make a wonderful annual New Year's tradition. It would be neat to get a book like this at the beginning of each year...the blank pages representing the clear and unwritten future... I get an empty journal book...
Tips for raising bilingual children12 Dec 06 | Comments: 3
I come from a multicultural family, but, sadly, never learned my father's native language (the Indian language Marathi). Granted, I don't have much use for Marathi in my daily life, but I sorely missed it when I visited my family...
Moxie's Holiday Gauntlet series12 Dec 06 | Comments: 0
Moxie's got a wonderful series of posts up on common holiday bugaboos: Santa, and related confusion Christmas tree management Gift issues Stress on kids during holiday visits The kid who licked the pole in A Christmas Story Tags: Ask Moxie,...
CPSC website lists toy recalls and product safety news11 Dec 06 | Comments: 2
My friend Jason (of Platial) has been watching the U. S. Consumer Product Safety Commission RSS feed of child product and toy recalls, and has been shocked by the sheer volume of stuff deemed unsafe. Definitely worth a look during...
How to organize a holiday gift for your kid's teacher11 Dec 06 | Comments: 10
Cathy of Mayberry Mom shared what I think may be the sanest method of organizing gifts for teachers: This may be an obvious one, but I think it's so helpful. At our kids' day care (hey, the source of the...
Homemade instant oatmeal packets08 Dec 06 | Comments: 4
Instructables illustrates how to make your own instant oatmeal packets. Less expensive, better for you, and tastier than the prepackaged stuff. With a little tutoring on hot water safety, this is a wonderful way to encourage older kids to make...
Decorate an outdoor tree with birdseed pinecones08 Dec 06 | Comments: 7
Jeff reminded me of an easy backyard winter project...a welcome diversion once the kids are home from school: An inventive and inexpensive way to attract birds to your yard and feed them in the process is to make a birdseed...
Five gifts that will make your kids rich05 Dec 06 | Comments: 0
Thanks to J. D. at Get Rich Slowly for pointing to this CNN article. Among the suggestions is the game Payday, which I have fond memories of playing. Great, fun way to learn the value of a buck. Tags: Money...
Save money with reciprocal museum memberships04 Dec 06 | Comments: 1
Dana's hack came up in