Parent Hacks

Save your grass and put the kiddie pool on the patio

Sam's tip for giving your lawn a fighting chance against the kiddie pool this summer: One of the annoying things about the inflatable swimming pools is that they kill the grass, but if you combine them with foam letters you get a great way to put the pool on the...

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Parent Hacks admin: Back from vacation

We just got in from almost two weeks of vacation in Northern California. There was hiking, a ropes course, parasailing, eating, visiting friends and family, exploring caverns, swimming, conversation, going to the playground, and a two-day drive from and to Portland. I discovered a few things while away: My son,...

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links for 2008-06-29

Kids Meal Crowd: Corral the Crayons A crayon coinpurse! Thanks, Danielle. Flying with a toddler « PsychMamma One mama's collection of tips. Thanks, Dawn! Netflix Community Blog: Profiles feature going away If you use Netflix Profiles to keep track of your kids' DVD wants, note that the feature is ending...

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links for 2008-06-27

Perfectly Normal: We Do Normal... Perfectly!: WFMW: Cradle Cap Solution T/Gel shampoo + oil. Check it out. (I just found some cradle cap on my daughter's head last night...she's almost 5. ???)

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Give babies their shots while they're strapped in their car seats

Rabia's tip for making infant immunizations go a little easier: I discovered this by accident when my son was small. I took him to get his shots at the doctor's office. The nurse came in while he was still strapped in his car seat. I asked if she could give...

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links for 2008-06-26

38 Tips to Keep Your Kids Entertained and Stress Free When Seeing a Doctor Common sense tips for medical appointments. penny carnival: My baby does housework A pan full of water in the middle of the kitchen floor = 20 minutes of happy toddler entertainment. Thanks, Megan! Vicky and Jen...

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Spray bottle makes cool (and water-saving) fun during the summer

Annmarie's hack uses far less water than the kiddie pool or the sprinkler: Buy a 24oz empty spray bottle and fill it with water. [Check the bottle to make sure the trigger is easy for small hands to pump. -- Ed.] Let them spray all the plants, bushes, windows, matchbox...

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Sprinkler hose may be a better solution for toddler lawn water play

Here's how Tracy tweaks backyard sprinkler play: The comment about the slide in the kiddie pool (which we also do!) reminded me of the a hack I've been using for years. My kids don't like to play in the standard oscillating lawn sprinkler that goes back and forth up in...

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links for 2008-06-24

Students Plant the Seed This group is working toward "greening" the college admission process -- saving tons of paper. Tips for backpacking with a baby - CNN.com And I thought car camping was brave. Family Focused Fun: Tent Camping More camping-with-kids tips! Thanks, Jamie!

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Road trip car games to pass the time on long drives

Car games! A long-standing road trip tradition. If you've already exhausted your family's tolerance for I Spy and license plate sighting, Jennifer has a couple more road trip games to add to the arsenal: Game #1: Think of an animal. Have the kids take turns asking questions to try and...

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Family camping hack: Make your own port-a-potty

For the hardcore among you. From Dee. If you are camping in a remote area - meaning no restroom facilities anywhere near you - take a child-size canvas lawn chair, cut a circular hole in the middle of the seat. Use it for a makeshift toilet. If you like, you...

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links for 2008-06-21

Safe Mama | One-stop child safety, product recall, health and well-being resource for parents Great site. Thanks for the pointer, Amber!

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Old diaper bags make perfect beach bags

From the queen of gently-used baby stuff herself, Angie of Freepeats: Here's a hack for ya'... I was at the beach this weekend with my mom. I was about to tell her how much I liked her beach bag when I realized it was my old tote-style diaper bag. The...

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Family camping hack: Cook your first night's meal before you leave

"Having a meal that was good for warming up and eating instantly (and in the dark) was always helpful."

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"Toy Jail" emphasizes the mutual benefit of sharing

Melissa's one tactful mom. I love this solution -- teaches skills without finger-pointing. Our toddlers are 17 months apart and are constantly competing for toys. That's a nice way of putting it, right? :) I'm not a yeller, and I see that sharing is hard, so if things get heated,...

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