Welcome to Parent Hacks
- Submit a hack!
Email your parenting tips to hacks@parenthacks.com. Or pitch your exceptionally useful product for review to reviews@parenthacks.com.
more contact info » - Support Parent Hacks
Are you an Amazon.com shopper? Every time you shop at Amazon, get there by clicking this link -- anything you buy will throw some change into our tip jar, with no extra steps or cost to you. Thank you!
more ideas » - Shop at the Parent Hacks Store
Whether you're outfitting a nursery, buying a gift, or treating yourself, start here!
go to the Store » - See more hacks
The front page only lists the most recent hacks. There are over 2000 more!
go to the archives »
get free updates
Categories
- 0-01yrs (infant)
- 01-03yrs (toddler)
- 03-05yrs (preschooler)
- 05-12yrs (kid)
- 13-18yrs (teen)
- 18yrs+ (grownup)
- admin (Parent Hacks news)
- attitude/mindset
- bathtime
- behavior
- fashion/general cuteness
- feeding/nursing
- fun/toys
- gear
- getting organized
- habitat
- health/development
- holidays/special occasions
- learning
- poop, pee, potty, etc.
- saving money
- sleep (yours and theirs)
- things we like
- travel/going out
Recent Comments
- monkeysmom on Birthday party guidelines for sane parents
- Brandy on Birthday party guidelines for sane parents
- on Gangsta fatherhood
- nicole on Tie tank top straps with with hair bands to keep them from sliding
- Christy on Birthday party guidelines for sane parents
- Karen on Lint roller grabs post-haircut stray hairs
- Mom101 on Birthday party guidelines for sane parents
- Suzy Martyn on Birthday party guidelines for sane parents
- j on Birthday party guidelines for sane parents
- Rob O. on Birthday party guidelines for sane parents
Community
- Show us what you're up to! Tag your pertinent blog posts, Flickr photos, and del.icio.us bookmarks as parenthacks so we can visit you in your corner of the Web. We often find goodies for our link roundups here!
Archives
- Parent Hacks logo by Bryan Bell
Go to: Archive index | Home
Category archive: 18yrs+ (grownup)
16 May 08 | Comments: 1
Here's how Kimberley solved the post-haircut itchies: My little girl complains about going places after she's had a haircut because of the hair that gets in her shirt and on her back. I don't blame her -- I hate it...
Birthday party guidelines for sane parents15 May 08 | Comments: 28
Hedra's new-ish mom friend asked her for tips on birthday parties to help her stay sane. Here's what she told her: Birthday parties under age 3 (certainly the first birthday) are for the grownups more than the kids. At 3...
PC.com: How to use your digital photos as your screen saver13 May 08 | Comments: 2
For the next couple of months, I'll be contributing tips to the new how-to site, PC.com. My latest piece was inspired by a Parent Hacks submission which I put into use minutes after it hit my inbox. I admit --...
The magical, multifunctional properties of painter's tape08 May 08 | Comments: 18
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...
How to remember which plastics are recyclable08 May 08 | Comments: 2
See how a dead-simple idea can change your life? From Hazel: We like to recycle but our village will only let us recycle certain things. I can never remember what number plastics are supposed to have. The last time the...
One Binder to Rule Them All: Mom's Ultimate Family Organizer07 May 08 | Comments: 203
I'm an on-again-off-again Flylady member. If you're not familiar, Flylady is more than just an online community of women trying to get a handle on housework -- it's a movement. The basic idea is to create standing routines for everything...
Use Twitter to keep up with family members06 May 08 | Comments: 1
What better time to share a Twitter hack than on the heels of my public admission that I've joined the Twitter herd! A great one from Sara: I've started going on the occasional business trip again, and my husband came...
Flip Ultra Camcorder $47 cheaper today only (another Amazon deal)30 Apr 08 | Comments: 6
I try to share only the most relevant Amazon deals here (this isn't Amazon Hacks after all) -- but I had to let you know about today's one-day deal: the adorable Flip Ultra Video Camcorder is 26% off ($132.99). The...
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...
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...
Turnoff Week starts, uh, today! Some thoughts and resources.21 Apr 08 | Comments: 6
How did I let Turnoff Week sneak up on me like this? And does anyone else find it funny (in a sad way) that it's no longer called "TV Turnoff Week" because there are so many more things to turn...
Amazon Home & Garden one-day sale today21 Apr 08 | Comments: 0
FYI, Amazon's having a one-day Home & Garden sale today, and I see several slow cookers represented (but alas, not that All-Clad one Hedra recommended).
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...
Savvy Source: A great place to start your preschool research17 Apr 08 | Comments: 7
When I started researching preschools, I was amazed by the lack of a centralized resource to find out what was available in our neighborhood. Through conversations with other parents and a dose of dumb luck, we found an ideal preschool...
Mother's Day gift ideas from the Parent Hacks Store16 Apr 08 | Comments: 2
Goodness and peace will be conferred upon those who get their Mother's Day shopping done and wrapped before May 10. To help you in that regard, here are a few items from the Parent Hacks Store you may want to...
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...
The many uses of the reusable grocery bag12 Apr 08 | Comments: 18
Jamie shares why she loves reusable grocery bags: Our local grocery store is selling Earthwise simple reusable grocery bags for .99 cents. It took about a week to get used to remembering to bring it in to the grocery store...
Thank you for the Crock Pot inspiration bonanza!11 Apr 08 | Comments: 0
Parenthackers are the best (as if that weren't already obvious). In response to my plea for Crock Pot help, so many of you offered advice, book suggestions, recipes...wonderful! Let me share the highlights: Check your crock pot's temperature. Apparently many...
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...
Tax.filer: Simple, beautiful organizer will make next year's tax prep a breeze09 Apr 08 | Comments: 80
This will be my one and only post about tax time because really? Who wants to think about it any more than one has to? But I just had to share this lovely product that appeared in my mailbox the...
Take notes during phone calls with friends and family09 Apr 08 | Comments: 17
Katherine Ellison's book notwithstanding, "mommy brain" (or, as I prefer to think of it, "parenting brain") is a real condition for me. My ability to retain details has gone down dramatically since I had kids. Or perhaps my ability has...
I want to love my Crock Pot. Talk amongst yourselves.07 Apr 08 | Comments: 68
I recently came across A Year of Crockpotting, one woman's chronicle of her New Year's resolution: to use the slow cooker every day. It brought on a wave of envy and regret. I have a Crock Pot. I know it...
Reusable shopping bags make "green" gift bags07 Apr 08 | Comments: 14
Keep Monera's hack in mind the next time you shop for a birthday party gift: I hate buying bags for gifts to go in -- it seems like such a waste to buy a bag that will be thrown away...
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...
Clean the tub right before you clean yourself03 Apr 08 | Comments: 23
Shelley discovered it's easier to clean the tub when she's in it: I am 7+ months pregnant with my second child and simple chores seem to be, well, not so simple anymore. Cleaning the tub, for example. With the belly...
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...
Meal planning hack: Cook from a single cookbook all week (or all month)02 Apr 08 | Comments: 13
In my quest to automate the domestic routine, I've fallen into a casual rhythm of meal planning. Every Sunday evening I look ahead to the coming week's activities and map out the meals. I try to work in at least...
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...
Amazon Friday sale: My beloved DustBuster21 Mar 08 | Comments: 2
Of all my small appliances, my DustBuster is the most beloved. These mini-vacuum cleaners have improved in recent years -- they really do suck (in the best possible way). I have a DustBuster on each floor to motivate myself to...
Dye raw eggs for Easter21 Mar 08 | Comments: 1
Here's how Daphne avoids the inevitable hard-boiled egg inundation that comes with Easter egg decoration: Every year for Easter, my five-year-old boys are wildly excited about decorating eggs. There is a week of anticipation, thirty minutes of setup, and five...
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...
Create a mural outline by "tracing" a television character17 Mar 08 | Comments: 11
Wow. Look how John and Heather created a character-inspired mural: My wife wanted to create a Little Bear mural for our boys' bedroom when inspiration hit her. She paused the show on our big TV and used tracing paper to...
Amazon Kitchen and Home sale - today only17 Mar 08 | Comments: 0
I just got an enticing email from Amazon -- today (March 17) is a one-day Kitchen and Home sale with big discounts on all sorts of domestic goodies (especially good deals on cookware sets).
Organize pumped breastmilk in a six-pack carton14 Mar 08 | Comments: 10
A smart way to keep those tiny bottles of pumped breastmilk organized in the fridge! From Robin: I pump milk several times a day trying to keep up my supply for a baby who is, shall we say, not the...
Swisscard Lite: Wallet-sized multitool07 Mar 08 | Comments: 3
Hey! I've got a hack sitting right here from Nancy about the Swisscard Lite, and I see it's currently 50% off as part of the Amazon Victorinox sale! Good timing: I don't know if this is a hack -- I...
Swiss Army knife sale at Amazon07 Mar 08 | Comments: 5
Nothing in today's Amazon Friday sale strikes me as particularly Parent Hackerish. But given that the Swiss Army knife was the inspiration for the Parent Hacks logo (and a good gadget to have in your Parenthacker arsensal), I thought you...
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...
Parenting: No amount of practice makes perfect, nor should it27 Feb 08 | Comments: 4
In response to my guest post on Zen Habits yesterday, Bee left the following fascinating comment: …just please, please, please leave gaps in your shiny optimised parenting to get wrong and messy. Teaching kids how to surf on the crest...
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...
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...
Amazon Friday Sale: Brita Filters, Pull-Ups22 Feb 08 | Comments: 0
Another Friday, another Friday Sale ! I found a couple deals Parenthackers might appreciate: Brita Pitcher Replacement Filters: Oh, how I love my Brita. I have found that keeping a full pitcher of water on the counter makes it so...
Ten ways to find time for your family -- no matter how busy you are21 Feb 08 | Comments: 8
I'm excited to share a guest post by Leo Babauta, father of six and author of the inspiring productivity blog, Zen Habits. His simple-yet-powerful tips always remind me that slowing down -- not cramming more in -- is a busy...
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...
How to organize photo cards14 Feb 08 | Comments: 7
Michelle has solved a problem we all have: guilt about throwing away photo cards! Every year we get photo cards of our friends and their children. I have never wanted to throw them away but didn't really have a place...
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: Celebrate with your spouse the weekend after13 Feb 08 | Comments: 4
Actually, Ellen, I think any occasion for a night out together is romantic! It's not terribly romantic, but my husband and I have a tradition of celebrating Valentine's Day on a different day-- typically the weekend before or after, preferably...
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: Sweet and simple gift wrapping12 Feb 08 | Comments: 2
Not only is Mary's gift-wrapping idea nice and simple, it's "green," too. Skip the expensive wrapping paper and wrap your gift in a brown paper bag. Tape a doily on top and then apply a heart sticker. Finish off with...
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: Lighthearted, inexpensive valentines will still do the trick for your sweetheart06 Feb 08 | Comments: 6
The lovey-dovey part of Valentine's Day should never be lost on your sweetheart. No matter how cheesy and Hallmark-y you think this holiday is, your partner will be disappointed if you don't recognize it in some small way (even if...
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,...
Amazon Friday Sale: Pinzon Stainless Steel Mandoline01 Feb 08 | Comments: 4
Have you ever used a mandoline? It's a slicing, grating and shredding powerhouse -- makes fast work of these tasks without the cleanup hassle of a food processor. Plus, I have found that my kids prefer to eat the thinly-sliced...
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...
New fatherhood anthology available for preorder at Amazon31 Jan 08 | Comments: 10
As I've mentioned ad nauseum, one of the things I appreciate most about the conversation here at Parent Hacks is the just-about-equal participation by moms and dads. I find the gender-neutral quality of the conversation here refreshing -- and eye-opening....
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....
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...
Use freebie magnets as photo backing21 Jan 08 | Comments: 7
Danny found a way to put freebie magnets to good use: Like most homeowners, real estate agents are flooding our house with magnetic calendars this time of the year with their picture and contact information on the magnet. As I...
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...
Cloth diapers as marital aids19 Jan 08 | Comments: 36
Heh heh. May be TMI for some of you, but I love that Amberlynn sent this in: Our shelf that holds the cloth diapers is right next to our bed (we live in a small space, no nursery or changing...
Being prepared for a power outage18 Jan 08 | Comments: 19
From May: We just had a power outage the other day and we learned some lessons. 1. When you lose power you also lose heat. 2. Mocking the public service announcements telling you to have a "go bag" ready 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...
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...
Use a bottle brush to clean champagne flutes01 Jan 08 | Comments: 8
A timely New Year's tip from Jessica: It would never have occurred to me pre-baby, but this morning when I was doing the dishes, I reached for our bottle brush to clean the champagne flutes, and it was the *perfect*...
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,...
Organizing a collective gift for your daycare providers21 Dec 07 | Comments: 9
May's simple solution for treating her daycare helpers: There are about 5 or 6 people that care for my kids in some capacity at the daycare. Trying to buy gifts for everyone is a sure-fire way to generate hurt feelings....
Salvage batteries when weeding out old toys21 Dec 07 | Comments: 5
I had a DUH moment when reading Duane's hack and realizing how many perfectly good batteries I've thrown away: If you're like us, part of the approaching holiday season is weeding out the older toys to make room. Before you...
The original recipe from the movie Ratatouille (from an insider)21 Dec 07 | Comments: 2
This may be the only gourmet recipe I ever publish on Parent Hacks, but who could resist? A wonderful followup to Rosemary's hack from Candy: My husband works for Pixar. This is the recipe we received when we asked how...
Paper clips as ornament hooks20 Dec 07 | Comments: 4
Christmas decorating in true hacker fashion. From Duane: Inevitably each year you're left with ornaments that have no hook to hang it on. Sure you can buy those packages of hooks, but you end up with 500 when you really...
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!
Aquadoodle water pen doubles as envelope sealer17 Dec 07 | Comments: 5
A tongue-saving hack from Kate, one of the co-founders of aftertheyhatch.com: We didn't want to lick 100 holiday card envelopes, so we used my son's Aquadoodle pen. [It's basically a felt-tipped pen filled with water. -- Ed.] It worked like...
Amazon holiday ordering cutoffs for last-minute shoppers16 Dec 07 | Comments: 0
Ahhhh. My holiday gift-giving is all done -- we celebrate Hanukkah, which ended last week. So I have the pleasure of completely sidestepping the craziness that is brick-and-mortar shopping during the next ten days. If you're avoiding the crowds by...
Sandy hack: She's a bridge between paper and electronic calendars14 Dec 07 | Comments: 8
Sandy is an email-based "assistant" who can send you reminders (and much more). I introduced you to Sandy right around Thanksgiving and promised to write up some of my Sandy hacks; here's the first one! [Full disclosure: My husband is...
Amazon Friday Sale 12/14/07: iTouchless hands-free trash can14 Dec 07 | Comments: 0
I wrote about my infatuation with my hands-free trash can some time ago. FYI, it's on sale for 30% off as part of today's Amazon Friday sale . Lots of good deals to be had for gift-giving as well --...
Scaling down holiday gift-giving14 Dec 07 | Comments: 14
Katrina shares how her family pared down the holiday gift exchange: We've simplified our holidays greatly by informing our kids that Santa only brings one present to them. They only ask for one present from Santa and it is well...
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...
Topless undershirt makes a great nursing coverup07 Dec 07 | Comments: 122
Nursing coverup? Bah! Who needs 'em? At least that's what I thought while nursing my first child during the temperate Northern California fall. But there's nothing like a blast of Northwest winter air while you're nursing outside to open your...
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...
A little planning cuts dishwashing chores03 Dec 07 | Comments: 13
Kris's hack inspired me to put a bit of thought into my own dish-and-silverware habits. It's amazing how much work one can avoid with a little planning. If you're like me you hate doing dishes. I usually find myself 10:00...
Amazon Friday sale: Kitchen gadgets galore30 Nov 07 | Comments: 2
If you've got cooks on your holiday gift list, check out the Amazon's Friday sale . I noticed a bunch of great deals on kitchen stuff today, including my favorite gadget, the KitchenAid hand mixer. I use my hand mixer...
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...
Meet your new assistant, Sandy26 Nov 07 | Comments: 14
Every parent deserves an assistant. I mean, who, more than parents, needs a little help keeping the conflicting schedules straight? Or remembering minute details in the face of overwhelming interruption and distraction? Parenthackers: allow me to introduce my new assistant,...
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...
"Bachelor chow" egg muffin makes a fine daddy breakfast23 Nov 07 | Comments: 2
Surprise a tired-out Thanksgiving hostess or host with breakfast, "bachelor style." From the very clever Steve: Want an Egg McMuffin without the greasy overpriced “Mc” part? Here’s my method - bachelor style. 1 english Muffin or Bagel 1 egg 1-2...
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...
DadLabs: Nothing this funny has ever been so useful12 Nov 07 | Comments: 2
You've seen the hilarious videos at DadLabs, right? Of course you have. These are the guys who tested breast pumps ON THEMSELVES and dramatized the disaster that is poop in the tub (you may never eat canned chili again). They...
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?...
Optimizing luggage storage in the minivan07 Nov 07 | Comments: 3
Duane's trick for packing the minivan for a road trip: Minivans are great for storage, until you have a third child and have to pull up the extra seat in the back, thus cutting your luggage space in half. Next...
Sure to be a bone-ified bestseller03 Nov 07 | Comments: 1
You know a book's reached phenomenon status when a well-produced parody hits the shelves in six months. From the book description: The Dangerous Book for Dogs asks a simple question: isn't there more to being a dog than wearing a...
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...
Store the Halloween books with the decorations01 Nov 07 | Comments: 4
Now's a good time to recall a very smart hack from last year: pack the seasonal books away with the decorations. Works as well for Halloween as it does for other decor-heavy holidays.
Turn old bras into potpourri sachets01 Nov 07 | Comments: 10
Abel of ParentWonder has sent in many pointers over the last few months, but this one just had to go front and center: how to turn old bras into potpourri holders. Most of us moms (especially those who are nursing...
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...
Halloween hack: Storing vinyl cling decorations30 Oct 07 | Comments: 6
Cheri figured out a way to keep Halloween cling decorations in good working order for the following year: My kids love those vinyl clings that stick to the doors and windows, but once I take them off of the sheet...
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...
Halloween hack: Prolong the life of cut pumpkins with petroleum jelly25 Oct 07 | Comments: 8
Kieransma passes along another jack-o'-lantern tip: I haven't tried this (yet) but recently read that a jack-o-lantern will last much longer if you coat the cut edges with petroleum jelly. Oh, and thanks to the costume swap hack, my almost...
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: Never again forget how much halloween candy to buy20 Oct 07 | Comments: 9
Kristin (mom of 2 sets of twins ages 6 and 3) answers the burning question: how much candy should I buy? I can never remember how busy our neighborhood is and how many trick or treaters we get so every...
Cool Mom Picks: Safer Toy Guide19 Oct 07 | Comments: 5
Holiday toy shopping may be a little trickier this year, what with all the recalls. If you're not sure where to begin, start with the Cool Mom Picks Safer Toy Guide. Believe me, these fabulous women know their stuff. From...
Chew on This: Teething Bling18 Oct 07 | Comments: 5
When my son was an infant, I often found myself wearing a big multicolored teething toy on my wrist like a giant clown bangle. It was practical, but it definitely lacked style- especially on the days I forgot to take...
Halloween hack: Make a paper jack-o'-lantern18 Oct 07 | Comments: 3
I'm pretty attached to traditional pumpkin jack-'o'-lanterns, but they are admittedly difficult-to-impossible for young kids to carve themselves. Kate makes luminarias instead: I hate the whole "rotting pumpkin" thing that happens after the holiday -- so I make mine out...
DonorsChoose Blogger Challenge: Help Parent Hacks support special education students in need17 Oct 07 | Comments: 4
DonorsChoose.org is a fantastic organization that brings together teachers whose school projects need funding and potential donors (that's us). Through October 31, they're hosting a Blogger Challenge -- encouraging bloggers to choose a project (one or many) to support. Federated...
Single or married: who's happier? My interview on Sirius 114 tonight at 8pm.17 Oct 07 | Comments: 6
It's 6am and I just ended an interview with Karen Salmansohn, host of Be Happy, Dammit! on Lime: Healthy Living with a Twist (Sirius radio channel 114). I only realized at the beginning of the call that it was a...
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,...
Use baby wipes to clean DVDs27 Sep 07 | Comments: 2
Violet's tip may salvage your too-well-loved copy of Finding Nemo: If you have a DVD that is smudgy or lightly scratched, use a baby wipe to clean it. It'll play again. Related: Uses for baby wipes
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...
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...
Best bag for toting diapers and laptops? Talk amongst yourselves.21 Sep 07 | Comments: 14
We've all got our own ideas about what makes for an ideal diaper bag. But when you add a laptop into the mix (as many of us Parenthackers have) the requirements change. Tricky to store electronics and juice boxes in...
FM Fall Shopping Guide: Smart Homes20 Sep 07 | Comments: 0
My next FM Fall Shopping Guide post is up: Smart Homes, about labor-saving gadgets that eliminated some of the hassle of getting in and around my house. Also: Sweetney demonstrates how to turn kid art into home decor, and the...
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...
FM Fall Shopping Guide: Coffee Gear for Drowsy Parents17 Sep 07 | Comments: 1
I, along with a number of my Federated Media brethren and sistren (I made that word up), am participating in a nifty collaboration: the FM Fall Shopping Guide. Each week for the next six I'll be posting there on the...
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...
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...
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...
Takeout containers as small bits organizers03 Jul 07 | Comments: 7
Mary's found a good use for empty takeout containers: I don't know when Chinese restaurants became my "Tupperware" hookup, but takeout has been coming in much better containers lately. My favorites are these rectangular plastic containers with clear lids that...
Advice for expectant parents: Bring your pediatrician's number to the hospital01 Jul 07 | Comments: 5
Wow. These hacks have really been taking me down memory lane. I, too, had some scares in the hospital, no doubt magnified because I was recovering and hormonal and (!) a new mom. Great advice, Sara. I find myself giving...
Leave the glass out of a fancy wall frame for easy kid art swapping29 Jun 07 | Comments: 2
So simple, so smart. From Shannon of Babies Online: We hung a glassless fancy picture frame on the wall and swap artwork as it's brought home from school. It's a big hit with both kids and adults!
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...
Avoid locking your keys in the car25 Jun 07 | Comments: 40
Here's Julia's method for keeping her car keys accessible: I'm terrified I'm going to lock my son and my keys in the car together. So, when I'm putting my son in the car or getting him out, I put my...
Use Lunapads postpartum to save money and resources24 Jun 07 | Comments: 14
Lunapads are washable, reusable menstrual products -- the feminine hygiene equivalent of cloth diapers. I've had several friends tell me how wonderful they are in terms of comfort and value, and then Kelly wrote in saying how useful they'd be...
Keep important medical and legal documents handy on a keychain USB drive23 Jun 07 | Comments: 13
Kate came up with a smart "paperwork" hack: Because we both take medications, and both have living wills and powers of attorney on each other, we decided to get keychain USB drives to keep them handy. We're going to be...
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...
Video iPod turns "pumping time" into "Mom time"11 Jun 07 | Comments: 8
Video iPod to the rescue once again! This time, Ruth uses it to make her sessions with the breast pump more enjoyable: The most helpful thing I found was to make pumping "my" time, so I didn't resent the huge...
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...
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...
Just moved? Double-check the screws on self-assembled furniture16 May 07 | Comments: 3
Gretchen offers extremely important advice for families who've just relocated: We've finally dug out from the mountain of boxes from our move, and have found that the screws on a lot of our furniture managed to back themselves loose during...
Volunteering with baby? Talk amongst yourselves.15 May 07 | Comments: 29
Whitney of Rookie Moms asks: I want to do a post about volunteering with a baby in tow, but don't have any real life stories of success. Can we tap into your readers and ask for anecdotes of the type...
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...
Pre-portion ice cream into paper muffin cups09 May 07 | Comments: 7
Atlanta Jill made quick work of the ice cream service at a recent birthday party: We had a birthday party, and I remembered my neighbor's ice cream hack. She scoops it out into muffin cups the day before the party. ...
Protect your floors with birthday party tablecloths06 May 07 | Comments: 1
Latia's found a use for those throwaway birthday party tablecloths: I save the thin, cheap, plastic character tablecloths from my kid's birthday party to protect the floor and other areas. I cut one tablecloth into three different sizes: one to...
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...
Less laundry detergent still gets clothes clean04 May 07 | Comments: 15
Michael's sensible laundry tip: This one helps the budget and the planet all in one. The recommended scoop (or squirt) size for laundry detergent is far too much. Identical cleaning results can be obtained with 1/3 the suggested amount. You'd...
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...
Weather still cold? Get fingerless gloves!30 Apr 07 | Comments: 4
I HATE dealing with the kids' cold weather paraphernalia while wearing my own gloves! Here's Jodi's great tip: I was surprised by the usefulness of these fingerless gloves. I am able to fiddle with zippers, buttons, car seat fastenings, keys,...
"Active resting" clears your parent brain 30 Apr 07 | Comments: 4
Clearing your mind doesn't necessarily require retreating from the world. Here's how hedra reboots her parent brain: Dancing along with the kids to some Motown on the CD player is one of my favorite ways to 'sweep' my brain. Dance...
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...
Use Google Calendar to remind yourself to get a life28 Apr 07 | Comments: 3
Jessica's hack inspired me in two ways. First, "planned spontaneity" is often all we can do to harken back to those carefree days of, well, maybe not our youth, but our pre-parenthood. Second, I'm so impressed that she recognizes that...
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...
How to organize your gift cards27 Apr 07 | Comments: 7
Rookie Mom Heather (who's not so much of a rookie anymore!) uses Sharpies in her gift card organizing scheme: oh, isn't it wonderful to get a $100 gift card at old navy or a $10 gift card at starbucks? yes,...
GeekDad: Gift ideas for Geek Moms25 Apr 07 | Comments: 2
When I saw Adrienne's latest post on Baby Toolkit -- "Woo Her with Insight: Gift Ideas for Geek Moms" -- I had to write about it on GeekDad (and here!). The perfect audience for such a resource, what with Mother's...
Label electrical cords to simplify plug-ins25 Apr 07 | Comments: 11
Heather has solved the too-many-cords-for-too-few-outlets problem: We live in an older home with less than conveniently placed electrical outlets in our son’s room. There are not enough outlets for all the electrical appliances and the outlets we do have are...
Video drawers as art supply storage24 Apr 07 | Comments: 1
Another winning organizing hack from hedra: Those old video drawers you had before you started buying DVDs can be put to use as art supply drawers. They fit on deeper book shelves, they're just the right size for 8.5x11 paper,...
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...
CleanWell: All-natural hand sanitizer22 Apr 07 | Comments: 6
I'm a well-documented lover of hand sanitizer, but I can't say I'm fond of the alcohol smell or the sting that comes along with it (if you have a little scrape on your hand, and what kid doesn't). The folks...
How to organize product manuals21 Apr 07 | Comments: 8
Nicole, who blogs at Much More Than a Mom and Much More Opinionated, offers this advice about organizing product manuals: Almost every item, small and large, that we have ever received for our son has come with a manual. Some...
Plastic shower tote as wet washcloth "hamper"20 Apr 07 | Comments: 11
In his post about the Baby FreshFace Drying Caddy, AJ of Thingamababy reminded me just how I hate the wet baby washcloths we use for post-meal face-wiping. They're too damp to throw directly into the hamper (I do it anyway),...
GeekDad: Build construction toys out of hardware parts19 Apr 07 | Comments: 1
In my first guest post for GeekDad, I highlighted one of my favorite GeekMoms: Dana at Mombian. Her PVC pipe construction set is brilliant, and I knew GeekDad readers would enjoy it as much as I did.
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...
Today is Ben and Jerry's Free Cone Day!17 Apr 07 | Comments: 2
Your taxes are wending their way to the IRS, and you deserve a reward. Scoop up the kids and take them to the local Ben & Jerry's ice cream shop for a free cone between noon and 8pm. You've earned...
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...
Cooking for a family during a kitchen remodel? Talk amongst yourselves.16 Apr 07 | Comments: 16
Lisa asks: Any ideas for cooking for a family of five during a kitchen remodel? We've never undergone a kitchen remodel, but friends who have set up a card table in the basement and relied on a Crock Pot, a...
Submit your favorite recipes to the MothersClick cookbook12 Apr 07 | Comments: 1
I've always loved home-grown cookbooks -- the photocopied, construction-paper-covered ones put together by schools and community groups. I love to see what other families actually eat night after night. Social networking site MothersClick is organizing just such a cookbook online:...
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...
Amazon One-day Kitchen sale today!09 Apr 07 | Comments: 2
Amazon is having a one-day Kitchen and Home sale today, and there are some excellent bargains to be had. (Think Mother's and Father's Day.) My favorites: KitchenAid hand blender (over 50% off plus a $5 rebate) George Foreman grill (My...
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...
Use a dry er