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Archive: December 2006
31 Dec 06 | Comments: 7
My kids are still too young to care about New Year's Eve, so I'm off the hook. If you're not, here's Amie's hack: This one is for getting kids to go to bed at a decent hour when they really,...
Top 10 Parent Hacks of 2006: Voting ends today31 Dec 06 | Comments: 0
Last chance to vote for your favorite Parent Hack of 2006...winners will appear here on New Year's Day.
Meet the Parenthackers: Stu Mark30 Dec 06 | Comments: 2
Soon after Parent Hacks launched, Stu's comments popped off the page and into my psyche. Honest, wise, and positive...I found myself waiting to hear what he had to say, and almost always taking it to heart. He models the sort...
Meet the Parenthackers: Sara Carlstead Brumfield29 Dec 06 | Comments: 2
Sara, a native of Austin, Texas, has been an incredible contributor to Parent Hacks since the beginning. She's become one of my Internet friends and I hope to see her when I'm in Austin for SXSW in March (more about...
Top Parent Hacks of 2006: the tension mounts...29 Dec 06 | Comments: 0
Get in on the action! Vote now! The winners will appear here on New Year's Day.
Send your best "getting organized" hacks28 Dec 06 | Comments: 19
If you're like me, "getting organized" is one of your annual New Year's resolutions. I'd like to highlight everyone's best clutter-busting hacks in January, so send 'em in now! A few ideas to get you started: Tips for keeping your...
Parent Hacks admin: New square link badge27 Dec 06 | Comments: 4
You've got a Parent Hacks link badge on your site, right? Well, Charlene didn't, but when she went to add one, she found my offerings wouldn't fit properly. So she created her own, and kindly passed it along for all...
Meet the Parenthackers: Amie26 Dec 06 | Comments: 0
Vegas, baby! No, really. Amie lives in Las Vegas, NV, and just had a baby! Congratulations, Amie! For as long as I can remember, Amie has been a constant, friendly source of enthusiasm. She's been submitting hacks from the beginning...
Meet the Parenthackers: Hedra25 Dec 06 | Comments: 1
I see Hedra all over the parenting blogosphere leaving wonderful comments. Luckily, we're graced with her hacker intelligence here, too. For example, she penned the hack I will likely turn to every October from now on: No-sew modular Halloween costumes...
Happy holidays!25 Dec 06 | Comments: 2
Happy holidays to you all. May it be a safe, warm time...a time to marvel at those little beings who push you be your hackerish best. Lately I've been beset by what I call "attacks of joy;" those moments when...
Meet the Parenthackers: Kirsten24 Dec 06 | Comments: 2
Kirsten (who likely has no Net access as she's in the super-snowy Rocky Mountain region) has submitted some incredible hacks, including the homemade calendar for preschoolers, the illustrated potty training tutorial, and using a spray bottle as portable air conditioning....
"Christmas smell" without chemicals24 Dec 06 | Comments: 2
Kristen's on a jolly roll. Here's her second holiday hack (the first being "assemble then wrap"): nice, spicy house scent without chemical air fresheners or cloying scented candles: Here's a great (and fairly cheap) way to make your kitchen (and...
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...
Meet the Parenthackers: Duane Morin23 Dec 06 | Comments: 1
Duane Morin hails from New England (NE United States), and has been a reader since just about the beginning. We "met" at Lifehacker, where he left a suggestion that Parent Hacks should publish its full feed (he was right; we...
Vote for your favorite Parent Hacks of 2006!23 Dec 06 | Comments: 2
Parent Hacks is officially a year old. And along with the goopy cake and the uncomfortable hats, every good first birthday party includes a little reminiscing. "Remember her first smile?" "Remember when he started crawling?" "Remember when he peed on...
Assemble before you wrap23 Dec 06 | Comments: 7
My friend Kristen of Motherhood Uncensored and Cool Mom Picks reminds us we can avoid the Ghost of Christmas Twisties: Make some eggnog, grab some cookies, get the family together and make sure all the toys (for the folks who...
Parent Hacks turns 123 Dec 06 | Comments: 4
A year ago today, Parent Hacks made its entrance into the world with my little ode to Purell. 1000 posts, over 4400 comments, and about 540K page views later, here we stand, a little older, a little wiser, and hopefully...
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
Laundry basket keeps holiday gifts contained22 Dec 06 | Comments: 5
Here's Kirsten's tip for for the inevitable chaos after the presents have been unwrapped: The laundry basket hack reminded me of this one - we get out a laundry basket for each child on Christmas morning. After they unwrap each...
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...
Parent Hacks admin: Oh, Canada! Parent Hacks appears in Glow Magazine21 Dec 06 | Comments: 1
Parenthacker Kelly (who wrote up this review of "Ablum" by Duplex) was kind enough to send me her copy of Glow Magazine ("Canada's Definitive Guide to Beauty and Health") because in it was a blurb about Parent Hacks written by...
Adrienne gets creative with a swim noodle20 Dec 06 | Comments: 3
Through a series of circumstances, hacker-extraordinaire Adrienne of Baby Toolkit was left with "half a noodle to contemplate." The result? Some inspired babyproofing. Tags: Baby, Babyproofing, Parenting, Swim noodles
Free, homemade baby and toddler toys20 Dec 06 | Comments: 0
TS passed along this link to The Simple Dollar, in which the author lists some ideas for free, homemade toddler toys, including the always-popular dead cell phone. Tags: Parenting, Toddler, Toys
Don't wrap before you fly20 Dec 06 | Comments: 0
And don't rap, either. Seriously, wrapped gifts may be unwrapped by security folks at the airport. [Via Lifehacker] Tags: Family travel, Holidays
Babykeeper: Savior or silly?20 Dec 06 | Comments: 9
Anne sent me a link to the Babykeeper with the subject line: "Can't stop laughing at this." She went on: I guess it's legitimate. And I have always wondered what to do with a little baby when I have to...
Homemade tabletop "sandbox" kits20 Dec 06 | Comments: 4
Dana posted her most recent brilliant hack at Mombian: creating indoor "sandboxes" filled with cornmeal or matzo meal. Tags: Parenting
Noodle soup = easy pasta for new eaters19 Dec 06 | Comments: 2
Beth's pasta-in-a-pinch hack: When my daughter was branching out to solid food, I found a quick and easy way to fix pasta. I buy Campbell's Kids Shapes soups (Dora, Jimmy Neutron, Batman & Goldfish shapes are available) or regular chicken...
Hearing protection muffles teething baby wails19 Dec 06 | Comments: 13
When Adrienne of Baby Toolkit passed along this hack, I admit I snickered a bit. Hearing protection? Really? But, you know? Those baby wails can set one on edge like nothing else, and the more I thought about it, the...
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
Parent Hacks admin: Welcome Parents Magazine readers!18 Dec 06 | Comments: 0
I just found out from my buddy Amy at Mommytrack'd that Parent Hacks is mentioned in the January issue of Parents as a "site to bookmark." I had no idea, and I'm so grateful when people point these sorts of...
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
Photo pen? Talk amongst yourselves.18 Dec 06 | Comments: 17
Rona asks: It is the holiday season again and of course, we get pictures taken of my almost three year-old. As I am sending out the pictures to relatives, I want to put the year or how old she is...
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...
Nifty gifty: Aeropress Espresso Maker18 Dec 06 | Comments: 4
Mama needs her caffeine. Mama's also a bit of a coffee snob, having spent her formative years living in Berkeley's Gourmet Ghetto across the street from the original Peet's Coffee. So, when my mom got me an Aeropress, I was...
Kid art as wrapping paper18 Dec 06 | Comments: 1
Maggie has found an ideal use for her daughter's painting projects: Every week, my daughter comes home from daycare with lots of artwork - including two or three big sheets of newsprint covered with tempera. I can't keep all of...
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...
Freeze your Hanukkah candles15 Dec 06 | Comments: 10
According to some, Hanukkah candles drip less when stored in the freezer. My research seems to support this. Tags: Hanukkah
Spreading out the holiday gifts15 Dec 06 | Comments: 7
Consider using all twelve days of Christmas (eight days of Hanukkah, seven days of Kwanzaa...) to open gifts. The season will last longer, each gift will receive the attention and play it deserves, and the piles of wrapping can be...
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...
DIY microwave popcorn14 Dec 06 | Comments: 6
I've always wondered if it's possible, but never Googled for the answer. Now I don't have to -- J. D. (Get Rich Slowly) to the rescue with Alton Brown's homemade microwave popcorn recipe. My only question: aren't metal staples a...
Tadpole: iPod case for kids14 Dec 06 | Comments: 3
For those of you brave enough to let your kids play with your iPod (Matt! Eirik! Tami! Pamela!), check out the Tadpole -- a nifty case and protective screen than makes the beloved device a lot easier to hold (and...
Because you're the expert14 Dec 06 | Comments: 1
Here's your chance to write that manifesto you've been thinking about ever since your kid was born. What? You haven't been formulating a manifesto? Everyone's doing it! Seriously, Brian Reid (Rebeldad) is spearheading a fascinating campaign to encourage us all...
Truck stops make for fun breaks while road-tripping14 Dec 06 | Comments: 5
As a road-trip baby myself, I can vouch for Mike's travel hack: Traveling over the Thanksgiving weekend, I was reminded of why it can be really nice to stop at truck stops while traveling with the family: 1) The food's...
20 minute dinner: Pasta with creamy marinara sauce13 Dec 06 | Comments: 5
In fact, I whipped this up in 15. I loved it. My son loved it. My daughter refused to taste it. PASTA WITH CREAMY MARINARA SAUCE Finely chop 1/2 an onion and 1/2 a carrot. Saute in olive oil till...
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...
New baby and preschooler sharing a room? Talk amongst yourselves.12 Dec 06 | Comments: 19
From Sarah: I'm expecting my second child in April and the new baby will be sharing a room with my daughter who will be 3.5 at the time the baby is born. My daughter is very excited about the prospect...
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,...
Baby car seat straps and overalls don't mix12 Dec 06 | Comments: 0
Katie's hack brought back memories of wrestling my son into his car seat: Now that our son is out of his infant bucket car seat, it's been harder to get the shoulder straps situated properly. It was always a little...
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...
Perfect present: what's your family's? And: a word about kids' mags11 Dec 06 | Comments: 15
Megin of GNM Parents has asked parents to share their families' toy and game "hits" -- the stuff that's loved and gets played with for a good long time. Jump on over and join the conversation, or, possibly, pick up...
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...
Puree tomatoes in the can10 Dec 06 | Comments: 5
Random cooking hack I stumbled onto last night: one can use an immersion blender to puree tomatoes directly in the can. Very carefully. Saved me a little dishwashing time. Tags: Cooking, Immersion blenders
MyGroceryDeals.com lets you search weekly grocery flyers online10 Dec 06 | Comments: 6
Ed of MyGroceryDeals.com recently got in touch to let me (and you) know about his new money-and-time-saving service. From Ed's note to me: Mygrocerydeals.com is a free service that allows consumers to go online, do their grocery "pre-shopping" based on...
Gift idea: Make framed prints out of your kid's art09 Dec 06 | Comments: 1
Laura passed along her tutorial for making (easy, cheap) framed prints out of kid art...lovely gift idea for grandparents and others who think everything your kid creates is gold. Tags: Art projects, Holidays, Parenting
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...
Bug Vacuum helps kids safely catch insects without involving their squeamish parents08 Dec 06 | Comments: 1
Sunny's hack for budding entomologists: This is a great Parent Hack, as it combines a fun activity for kids, as well as a much needed task around the house. The Bug Vacuum is the best thing since sliced bread. Kids...
Shaving cream: kid fun + clean bathtub08 Dec 06 | Comments: 6
Both Anne (winner of the funniest Parent Hackfire: Diaper Genie Debacle) and Lisa suggested this fun, foamy diversion. Lisa wrote up her shaving cream hack on Lil' Duck Duck, and Anne's is here: Get yourself a cheap canister of shaving...
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...
Gift guides you can trust07 Dec 06 | Comments: 6
Some of us are knee-deep in holiday gift-buying at the moment, so to narrow the prospects a bit and hopefully save you a trip to the dreaded Big Box, allow me to share a few gift guides from some of...
Car travel safety: what to do if you're stranded? Talk amongst yourselves.06 Dec 06 | Comments: 6
Merlin of 43Folders has started a fascinating discussion about the ingenuity of Kati Kim, who, with her two children, managed to survive nine snowy days stranded in their car with little food. (James Kim, the father, is still missing and...
Laundry basket "choo choo" keeps baby close during chores06 Dec 06 | Comments: 8
Have I mentioned that Parent Hackers love laundry baskets? Here's how Kris uses hers: My son, who is 8 months, has been going through a phase for the last few weeks where he can't bear to be out of my...
Hacks for moms who use breast pumps06 Dec 06 | Comments: 13
Some mothers aren't able to nurse their babies directly, and instead use a pump to express breastmilk into bottles. Jess wrote up her tips, gained from ten months of exclusively pumping, in the hopes they will help other moms in...
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...
Flo Water Deflector adds to bathtime fun05 Dec 06 | Comments: 6
Barb of Great Family Gadgets passed along her review of the Flo Water Deflector, which looks to be a fun addition to the nightly bath. Speaking of bath toys, don't throw away those nasal aspirators (AKA snot suckers) -- my...
How to deal with a friend who's overprotective of her children? Talk amongst yourselves.05 Dec 06 | Comments: 20
My heart went out to this reader when I read this note. I too had a run-in like this when my first child was a baby, and it left me dumbfounded: Five of us are in a mom's group, and...
Save money with reciprocal museum memberships04 Dec 06 | Comments: 1
Dana's hack came up in my queue right when many of us have plans to travel out of town -- an ideal opportunity to visit museums you may be able to get into for free: Buy a Reciprocal Membership at...
Getting beyond a toddler's diaper change protests04 Dec 06 | Comments: 9
Amanda calls this "toddler diaper ju-jitsu:" Our almost-2 year old occasionally mounts a violent protest when we try to change her. Sometimes, offering her a "standing change" works (and, if you haven't tried it before, it's surprisingly easy as long...
A bear travels to Iraq...03 Dec 06 | Comments: 0
Sometimes Technorati reveals gold. I just found this post at Spectacles in which the author shares a picture of her handmade bear in the hands of an Iraqi girl (Edmay kindly sent her the picture). Gorgeous. Thank you so much...
Holiday Peppermint Bark02 Dec 06 | Comments: 10
I'm a big fan of that pricey white peppermint bark in fancy tins that appears at this time every year. It's fairly easy to make yourself, and it's something a 6-year-old can do with minimal supervision. Spray a large cookie...
Snack-packing for road trips01 Dec 06 | Comments: 3
Sandy's snack pack hack: Car trips with an always-hungry 2 yo with food intolerances can get stressful. With food pickiness setting in, when we traveled last month, we certainly had to find hacks to match up. For snacks, I grabbed...
WeJustGotBack.com: all about family travel01 Dec 06 | Comments: 5
Relatively new family travel site WeJustGotBack.com offers road trip advice from the families...who just got back. (Thanks, Christy, for the tip.) Family travel is a favorite topic here at Parent Hacks -- be sure to scan the Travel/Going Out archive...
Paper snowflake templates01 Dec 06 | Comments: 1
Patterns for lovely paper snowflakes! I know, the point is to have at it with the scissors and then get a surprise when you open the folded paper...but still! [Via Melissa's Buzz Off] Tags: Crafts, Holidays
Homemade robot "draws" as it moves01 Dec 06 | Comments: 2
Kip always manages to find fascinating stuff. He recently passed along the link to this Kid's Draw Bot -- a homemade robot that draws as it skitters across the page. Grab those electronics kits and go! Tags: Electronics, Robots
Laundry baskets as trip-packing and present-wrapping organizers01 Dec 06 | Comments: 7
Sara shared this excellent organizing tip -- ideal for holiday travel and gift prep: In the week or so leading up to a trip, I get out one or two of our spare laundry baskets and set them in our...
