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Archive: March 2008
31 Mar 08 | Comments: 4
How to Make a "Unique" Diaper Cake. Ha! : Hotspots : Alpha Mom™ A little twist on the classic baby shower centerpiece. Thanks, Isabel! What Not to Say to the Pediatrician - Well - New York Times Blog Some great...
For the kid who can't keep his hands off the card-swipe machine at the grocery store: a calculator31 Mar 08 | Comments: 5
Are those credit card swipe machines kid magnets or WHAT? Hillarie's onto something: My son is three and loves to "help" when I am trying to pay for the groceries. His help consists of pushing the debit/credit card machine and...
Cookie sheets keep the countertop clean during bulk sandwich-making31 Mar 08 | Comments: 11
KS found a clever way to further streamline lunch prep: I am learning to love mass production of packed lunches. One thing particularly pesky is the crumbs left on the counter after sandwich assembly. Enter the cookie sheet! Ahh –...
Parent Hacks admin: Spring Break, ahhh29 Mar 08 | Comments: 2
As you may have noticed, my updates have been a bit...delayed the last few days. Just enjoying a bit of Spring Break laziness with the kids. It feels so good to unplug and revel in the freedom of "what shall...
Wean kids off sugary breakfast cereal by mixing it with the unsweetened version27 Mar 08 | Comments: 30
Daphne's hack struck a nerve, because sugar cereal happens to be one of my hot-button issues. I like to think I'm pretty moderate and open-minded about most things -- including junk food -- but sugar cereal sends me straight to...
Nonslip shelf liner keeps the potty chair from sliding26 Mar 08 | Comments: 5
So smart. From Marta: I keep the potty chair from skidding around by cutting a little mat out of nonskid shelf liner! The mat goes under the potty and the kid stays upright. Related: Nonslip shelf liner keeps tablecloth from...
"Supercharge" bubble bath with a whisk26 Mar 08 | Comments: 9
Jaimi's one sentence hack will keep tub-goers happy: To maximize a bubble bath, or to revive sad looking suds, use a whisk -- you'll need to use much less soap. Related: Lots of good bathtime hacks await in the Bathtime...
Reusing medicine dosing syringes from Target prescription bottles25 Mar 08 | Comments: 14
Parenthackers have sung the praises of the Target's prescription medicine bottles before -- and Kim takes it a step further: Liquid medicines from the Target pharmacy come with a dosing syringe and have a neat little stopper in the bottle....
Use a funnel to fill baby bottles (duh)25 Mar 08 | Comments: 2
Zulima's hack made me laugh -- I don't know if this has been mentioned before, but I use a funnel to fill up my baby's bottle. "What," you say! Yes, I am a butterfingers and when the milk gallon is...
links for 2008-03-2424 Mar 08 | Comments: 0
Making a Felt Board « Three Sneaky Bugs Simple and fun. (tags: crafts kids)
Let new eaters sample foods from the salad bar24 Mar 08 | Comments: 6
Jill's found a great place to introduce her baby to new foods: the salad bar. If you have a picky eater, or even just a new eater, and you're sick of throwing away food because you don't know which fruits...
Decorate baby's room with discount wallpaper24 Mar 08 | Comments: 5
Sable's nursery decorating on the cheap: We recently started to discuss themes for the baby's room (I'm pregnant). Again and again we realised that regardless of the theme, whatever we wanted to do would no doubt end up costing us...
links for 2008-03-2222 Mar 08 | Comments: 0
Easter 4-in-1 Printable Activity Page at Printables for Kids Thanks, Charlene! Crafts With Kids: Fabergé Eggs | GNMParents Fun! Baby Toolkit: Whispers in the Storm: My Grandmother's Toddler Tantrum Secret I may as well just link to EVERY Baby Toolkit...
Egg shakers: a non-candy Easter basket alternative21 Mar 08 | Comments: 11
We discovered egg shakers in a Music Together class. Smooth, round plastic or wooden egg-shaped maracas -- these simple musical instruments are a sensory treat. So pleasant to hold and roll, fun to shake (the sound is loud enough to...
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...
links for 2008-03-2121 Mar 08 | Comments: 0
Apartment Therapy ohdeedoh | How To: Kids' "Spice" Labels Brilliant. I love Ohdeedoh. Thanks for the link, Kristi!
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...
links for 2008-03-2020 Mar 08 | Comments: 0
Laid-Off Dad: Post-Neck-Poop Stress Disorder Neck pooping. As if you didn't already know that parenting ISN'T for the faint of heart. Sorry, LOD. We feel your pain.
Too Tarts SmartChoice spray candy masks bitter medicine flavor20 Mar 08 | Comments: 4
Before you scoff at this hack (as I did when I heard the words "spray candy"), read on. Jessica's onto something: The last two times my five year-old son has been prescribed cough medicine the taste has been completely awful....
Straightening iron flattens curly bangs so you can trim them at home20 Mar 08 | Comments: 5
Rednexmama came up with an excellent haircut hack: I refuse to spend $10 just to get my daughter's bangs cut, but it can be more than a little challenging since she has naturally curly hair and it's next to impossible...
Keep a quick-grab snack bag packed19 Mar 08 | Comments: 6
From Debbie: We keep a reusable lunch-type bag in our cupboard stocked with various nonperishable snacks (one of each type per child) so that we can grab it at a moments' notice; say for that trip to the ER after...
Best of Parent Hacks: Easter fun18 Mar 08 | Comments: 2
The sugar headache from Valentine's still hasn't worn off, and now I'm being assaulted by the Easter candy displays. We're Jewish so we have other seasonal treats to look forward to (Mmmm. Matzoh.), but at least one Cadbury Creme Egg...
New online educational game/learning service from PBS18 Mar 08 | Comments: 2
There's plenty of good (and free) play to be had on the Web, with the first stop for preschoolers often being the companion site for a favorite television network (PBS Kids, NickJr., or Playhouse Disney). PBS has just upped the...
Games you can play with a flat sheet18 Mar 08 | Comments: 7
Sometimes, disorganization paves the way for a new activity we never would have discovered otherwise. (Ha! An argument for chaos! The justification continues.) We were playing in the basement last night amid folded piles of clean laundry. My 4.5 year-old...
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...
Free address labels are fun play stickers, too17 Mar 08 | Comments: 2
Why is it that anything self-adhesive is fun to play with? Lisa's found a good way to put junk mail to work: My two daughters (2 & 4) love stickers. They go through them faster than the grandparents can buy...
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).
Little Steps Handrail mounts on (and hangs below) a standard stairway rail16 Mar 08 | Comments: 2
The folks from Little Steps found Parent Hacks due to Kathy's comment on last year's handrail hack (tie a length of soft rope to the rail which hangs down to toddler-grabbing height). Apparently, many of you have been clicking through...
links for 2008-03-1515 Mar 08 | Comments: 0
Thingamababy: Money Saving Tips for New Parents Good info here. (tags: babies money parenting)
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...
links for 2008-03-1414 Mar 08 | Comments: 0
Raising WEG: Emergency Exits Laundry baskets to the rescue...literally. Thanks for the pointer, Nicole! (tags: parenting emergency) DIY Children's Board Book - Instructables Awesome. Thanks for the link, Scott! (tags: kids) Shop It To Me: Better than Sample Sales --...
Freeze pacifiers for teething relief13 Mar 08 | Comments: 5
Amy's got a good pacifier hack: My 16 month-old son has always been attached to his pacifier, and has had a tough time cutting teeth. So, I run his pacifiers under the faucet, and squeeze the bulb portion under the...
Reduce mess by putting ketchup under the hot dog12 Mar 08 | Comments: 8
Marjorie! Hallelujah! Thank you for sending this in -- parents everywhere will be singing your praises this summer! My friend Adrienne had such an obvious hack, but i'd never thought of it. [Me neither. -- Ed.] She put ketchup on...
Wrap hard toys in a blanket if they must accompany your kid to bed12 Mar 08 | Comments: 4
Sandra's hack reminded me of my own kids' quirky hoarding habits when they were toddlers: My daughter Mia is 2yrs and insists on bringing toys to bed with her at night. She recently upgraded to a toddler bed and has...
links for 2008-03-1212 Mar 08 | Comments: 1
Cool Mom Picks: A High Chair That Grows With Your Kid: Magic? No, Mutsy. Totally cool high chair -- quick, click over for a chance to win it! Sweet Juniper! The Sacajawea Theory, v2.0 "...all newborn babies really need is...
"Virtually Indestructible Keyboard" goes nicely with baby- and toddler-friendly software11 Mar 08 | Comments: 5
Ben is a smart, smart man. I recently read your post on Giggles Software for babies and toddlers. The idea seemed great, but I was reluctant to let my baby get his hands on my MacBook Pro. Nor did I...
links for 2008-03-1111 Mar 08 | Comments: 2
The Dilbert Blog: Thoughtful Gift - a Car Kit As Scott says, "nerdily delicious." Great link, Amie, thank you! (tags: organization) JigZone.com Online jigsaw puzzles! As hard or easy as you like! You can even upload your own pic! (My...
Give your toddler his own "credit cards"11 Mar 08 | Comments: 17
Marie protected her credit cards by finding her son some of his own: Around when he turned one-year-old, our son started to love to play with our wallets, especially the credit/bank cards and licenses. We didn't want to risk it...
Simple toddler game teaches letters, numbers, turn-taking, fine motor skills and ... it's fun10 Mar 08 | Comments: 7
Maya's come up with a lovely, simple game with her daughter: I’ve been playing this game with my daughter for a while – she’s 27 months old now. You could play this a variety of ways and it teaches many...
Free bath toys await in your toybox, kitchen, and garage09 Mar 08 | Comments: 14
The ever-resourceful Heather has a great bath toy hack: New bath toys make bath time more fun for everyone, but how do you get them without spending a dime? Look around your house and you'll be surprised by all 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...
Pamper yourself while bathing the kids07 Mar 08 | Comments: 11
Heather has found that bathtime for the kids offers a multi-tasking opportunity for mom: Turn "bath time" into "pamper time" by using the opportunity to soak your feet while your kids are in the tub! I've got a ledge on...
Bubble play motivates kids to clean up06 Mar 08 | Comments: 6
From Jane: Okay, maybe this is just barely a hack, but I have a 2.5 yo and a 4 yo, and getting them to pick up their toys is always a struggle. However, I have discovered a good way to...
Instant oatmeal makes a portable, filling in-flight meal (with gummy bears for the descent)06 Mar 08 | Comments: 11
Lewellen solved the problem of kid food on the airplane like this: Is this even a hack? It worked well for us and I was pleased with myself for thinking of it... On recent cross-country flights, I had to provide...
links for 2008-03-0606 Mar 08 | Comments: 2
Ask Moxie: The right way Someone give this woman a medal. Yes, yes, YESSSS! (I'll have what she's having.) (tags: parenting) How to Inoculate Your Children Against Advertising ∞ Get Rich Slowly Smart, smart stuff here. No kid is immune...
Puffy paints make socks non-slip06 Mar 08 | Comments: 6
Marie in Alaska deals with cold tootsies much of the year. She's found an economical way to make her son's socks slip-free: When my toddler started walking, the kitchen floor became a slipping danger. We live in Alaska and it...
Rubbermaid tote as infant bath05 Mar 08 | Comments: 15
From Gretchen: Instead of the laundry basket in the tub hack, we used a Rubbermaid tote in the big tub when my daughter outgrew the kitchen sink. Used less water, and now it's under-crib storage. A great alternative to the...
Nonverbal "cues" and routines help adopted children settle into home life05 Mar 08 | Comments: 6
Deborah demonstrates how consistency can be comforting when words aren't an option (yet): When my husband and I brought our 3- and 4-year-olds home from Moscow, we had only rudimentary Russian and a very early trust relationship with the kids....
links for 2008-03-0505 Mar 08 | Comments: 1
DIY Dry Erase Board Dang fun for the kids. [Via Craft:] (tags: crafts kids)
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...
Parent Hacks admin: Thank you, Kristi!04 Mar 08 | Comments: 6
One of the things several folks have suggested as we discuss Parent Hacks 2.0: DUH, GET SOME HELP. Ha! I knew that! And thanks to the wonders of serendipity, Kristi (aka dampscribbler), a very smart longtime writer-type Parenthacker, lives right...
Wristbands keep sleeves out of the way for craft time04 Mar 08 | Comments: 2
Tracy has a clever method for keeping sleeves clean: We use old wristbands (although I'm sure some of your readers could get creative with other items) to hold sleeves up during craft time at home. This could be used during...
links for 2008-03-0404 Mar 08 | Comments: 0
Graco Blog » Graco’s Monthly Nod - February Thank you to Graco for giving a Parent Hacks post ("Parenting: No amount of practice makes perfect, nor should it") the "monthly nod." (tags: parenting) How to make an octodog (octopus hot...
Parent Hacks admin: Let's talk about Parent Hacks 2.003 Mar 08 | Comments: 26
The crocuses have popped out of the chilly soil in my front yard. Every year when this happens, I feel a little quickening, a surge of possibility. It's rather corny, really, to see me scampering around the garden, exclaiming about...
Fitted sheets make the best forts03 Mar 08 | Comments: 12
Alexandra's husband stumbled onto a good fort-building trick: My husband discovered a great hack when he grabbed a sheet to use for building forts for our two small children. The first sheet he grabbed was a king-sized fitted sheet, so...
links for 2008-03-0303 Mar 08 | Comments: 2
kwiry - text it before you forget it Text yourself reminders while you're out and about. (tags: organization sms)
links for 2008-03-0202 Mar 08 | Comments: 1
Totspot - It’s A Social Network For Babies ? (tags: babies kids web2.0) Waiting...play activity Good old Brain Quest cards -- great to stash in one's bag for emergencies.
Britax sale at Amazon ends today02 Mar 08 | Comments: 0
Amazon's Britax sale ends today -- up to 20% off "rarely discounted" car seats and strollers.
Babycape winner!01 Mar 08 | Comments: 1
Wow, all of your wonderful family-friendly spring vacation ideas have filled my mental fantasy file. Thank you to all who entered! And now, for our Babycape winner: Erin (who suggested Pacific Beach, WA)! Please email me your mailing address and...
Torani syrup helps the water go down01 Mar 08 | Comments: 8
Here's how Darienne makes water more palatable to her preschooler: My 3 year-old has always been a big milk drinker. We tried to get him to drink more water by giving him water with a bit of unsweetened fruit juice....
links for 2008-03-0101 Mar 08 | Comments: 1
How Dangerous Is the Internet for Children? - New York Times A great common-sense article by David Pogue. Thanks for the pointer, Ellen! (tags: internet children kids)
