Parent Hacks

Homework tips? Talk amongst yourselves.

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 about ideas for getting off to a good start. Some...

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Parent Hacks admin: The Fall

Fall approaches, and, here in Portland, the school doors open next week. For many of you, the school year is already underway -- a reluctant transition for some, a relief for others. I know for me "back to school" brings recollections of my own childhood mixed with the practical realities...

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DIY Learning Tower to encourage pint-sized kitchen help? Talk amongst yourselves.

In the comments of the kid-friendly kitchens post, Marta asked: Anyone have a hack for improvising one of those Learning Tower things? They cost a lot. I agree -- a lovely product, but the price is prohibitive. When I was a kid, we just used one of those stepstool/chair thingies....

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Serve food to new self-feeders in a measuring cup

Liz said, "I am not sure if this is a hack or just a lightbulb moment..." Isn't it funny how some Parent Hacks come on like a flash, and others are just the unconventional way we've always done things? My 19 month old son really wants to feed himself. I...

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Put a bell on toddlers' belts to more easily locate them

From Will, Hedra's husband! When your toddlers start to walk around, it can be tiring to track their presence at all times, especially in crowded areas, or in the outdoors. When we had this situation while on vacation in Vermont, we bought a souvenir cowbell for Brendan that he loved...

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links for 2007-08-23

Make your own Chinese finger trap (tags: kids toys) Unclutterer: Grandparents, consider the fold away crib What a great idea. (tags: kids babies)

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Toys to Iraq: Still accepting toys and stuffed animals!

Edmay Mayers is coming home after a long tour in Iraq with the US Army Corps of Engineers. But two of her comrades have agreed to take over her "duties" as volunteer distributors of toys to Iraqi children there. Michael is a geologist from Buffalo, NY and a 20 year...

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links for 2007-08-22

Techmamas: Gadgets That Keep Young Boys Entertained On Airplanes My favorite: the Cheerio necklace. (tags: parenthacks kids travel gadgets) Easy homemade baby butt paste - DIY Life Secret ingredient: Maalox. (tags: parenting baby diapers)

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links for 2007-08-22

Techmamas: Gadgets That Keep Young Boys Entertained On Airplanes My favorite: the Cheerio necklace. (tags: parenthacks kids travel gadgets) Easy homemade baby butt paste - DIY Life Secret ingredient: Maalox. (tags: parenting baby diapers)

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Non-slip shelf liner keeps tablecloth from slipping

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 non-slip shelf liner on the table underneath ours, and it works great...

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Color code hot and cold water taps with nail polish

Amazing how a little change can help kids get what they need on their own. Here's kittenpie's great idea: My girl understand that red=stop and green=go, so in the bathroom, I have painted (in nail polish for durability) a large red spot on top of the hot water tap, and...

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Working with a one year-old's light switch obsession

Kris's light switch hack keeps her son happy (for a while at least!): My one year old son is enthralled with being helpful by turning on and off the lights in every room when we enter or exit. The only problem is, "on" is a lot harder to master than...

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Ice cubes help keep a sick kid hydrated

Here's Kip's novel method for keeping the liquids going into his ailing daughter: Sarah (now 5) was having a sore throat. Quick strep test came back negative, so a virus was suspected, and the doctor said to keep liquids going in. Sarah was perfectly willing to eat popsicles all day...

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Kid-friendly kitchens help even the youngest pitch in

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 your children by teaching them to pitch in...that they naturally...

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Parent Hacks admin: Email woes

I'm not sure what I've done to raise Gmail's hackles, but I just discovered that it has been junking a bunch of my email, including many of your notes to me and a bunch of Parent Hacks comment notifications. I've got it all here, but I had to do some...

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